Substance misuse

Taking drugs in pregnancy

The following advice relates to illegal drugs, not medication or prescription drugs. If you are taking regular medication prescribed by a medical practitioner, contact your GP, midwife, or the medical practitioner who prescribed it to discuss this. Do not stop taking medication unless told to do so by a medical practitioner.

When you're pregnant, taking drugs can seriously affect you and your baby's health. Sometimes this can be lifelong. Taking drugs (including tobacco and alcohol) when you're pregnant, can put your baby's health at serious risk. It increases the risk they'll be stillborn or will die in the first few weeks and months of life. These are difficult things to imagine but are real risks if you take drugs.

 

No use means no risk

If you were using any drugs before you realised you were pregnant, it’s best to stop now and not use any more.

When you speak to your midwife about drugs it is best to be honest about the role they play in your life, and how often you use them. Your midwife can help with any questions you have and support you to be drug-free in pregnancy.

Being drug-free in pregnancy reduces the risk of:

  • early birth
  • underweight birth
  • feeding and breathing problems
  • getting infections
  • having problems with their development and growth
  • miscarriage
  • stillbirth
  • Sudden Unexplained Death in Infancy (SUDI)

Neonatal abstinence syndrome

Being drug-free in pregnancy prevents Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS). Drugs that can cause dependency can pass through the placenta and affect your baby. After birth, your baby may show signs of withdrawal, known as NAS. Some babies who experience this may need specialist medical care and treatment to help them.

Using cannabis during pregnancy

Smoking cannabis during pregnancy is always harmful to you and your child. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is one of the chemicals in cannabis and it passes through your system into the placenta and into your baby.

Giving up using cannabis is the best thing to do during pregnancy. It is recommended that you do not use cannabis in the time that you are planning on becoming pregnant, throughout your pregnancy and when you are breastfeeding.

Using cannabis during your pregnancy affects your baby’s physical development, as well as its brain and nervous system.

Prescribed medicines

Before you take any medicine during your pregnancy, including painkillers, check with your pharmacist, midwife or GP that it’s safe.

If you need to take medicine while you are pregnant, make sure you find out about what effects the medicine could have on you and your baby. As your body changes you may be at risk to different side effects.

If you are taking prescribed medication, check with your midwife, GP or the medical practitioner who prescribed it whether you should continue to take it during pregnancy or not. Do not stop taking medication without speaking to a medical professional first.

What medicines are safe?

Information about medicine and what they are like during pregnancy can be found on the Bumps website

http://www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/

There is also advice on what to do if you have already taken medicines.

It is important to never stop taking a medicine that has been prescribed to you to keep you healthy without checking with your doctor. Suddenly stopping taking medication can be harmful to both you and your baby.

If are trying to get pregnant or are already pregnant it’s important to:

  • Talk to your doctor if you take regular medicine
  • Check with your doctor before taking any prescribed medicines or medicine you have bought
  • Make sure that your doctor knows that you are pregnant so you can be given suitable and safe prescriptions

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