Substance Use During Pregnancy

Substance use during pregnancy can happen, but it can be especially detrimental to you and the development of your baby. If you are or planning to use any of these drugs during or while trying to get pregnant, please talk to your health care provider for best guidance on how to safely proceed. 

• Marijuana 

  1. Marijuana use during pregnancy is linked to health concerns such as postpartum depression, problems with breastfeeding along with other developmental complications for your baby.  

  • No matter how you use marijuana- smoking, vaping, dabbing, eating, drinking or applying as a cream- it may be bad for your baby.  

  • Even after birth, marijuana use during pregnancy can affect your child’s attention, memory, problem-solving skills and behavior in their later life.  

• Tobacco 

  • Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of health problems for developing babies including preterm birth, birth defects of the mouth and lip, and sudden infant death syndrome.

  • E-cigarettes and other tobacco products containing nicotine are not safe to use during pregnancy as it can damage your baby’s brain and lungs. Flavorings used in e-cigarettes can also be harmful to your baby. 

  • To gain help in quitting during or after pregnancy, check out this article by Smokefreewomen: https://women.smokefree.gov/pregnancy-motherhood 

• Opioids 

  • Opioids are prescribed to manage pain, but have high risks of addiction. Heroin and fentanyl are used illicitly and problematic use of these drugs can result in health problems 

  • Opioid use disorder during pregnancy has quadrupled in the past two decades, and is strongly linked to preterm birth, stillbirth, maternal mortality and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).  

  • NAS is a group of withdrawal symptoms that occurs in newborns after exposure to opioids during pregnancy. NAS can occur with both illicit and prescribed drugs and can lead to prolonged hospitalization for your newborn baby.  

• Alcohol 

  • There is no safe amount of alcohol use during pregnancy or while trying to get pregnant. 

  • All types of alcohol are equally harmful, including all wines and beer.  

  • Alcohol in the mother’s blood passes to the baby through your umbilical cord. Alcohol use during pregnancy is linked to miscarriage, stillbirth and a wide range of behavioral and intellectual disabilities. These disabilities are collectively known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).  

  • FASD is linked to abnormal facial features, small head size, shorter height and lower weight, as well as poor memory, hyperactivity and other intellectual disabilities. It can also cause problems with the heart, kidney or bones and hearing or vision problems.