When you’re pregnant, it’s important to consider the health of your future child and ensure that your choices won’t negatively impact them in any way. So many women make the mistake of assuming that it’s okay to drink or use drugs while pregnant because they aren’t showing yet, but the reality is that this can have a huge effect on your child’s future health and wellbeing.
1) What Are The Dangers of Substance Use Whilst Pregnant
Substance use during pregnancy can lead to a number of problems. The risks vary depending on whether you are pregnant, breastfeeding or both. Alcohol use during pregnancy is associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). These include foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), partial FAS, alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) and prenatal alcohol exposure syndrome (PEHS). ARND is characterised by impaired cognitive function, decreased intelligence, speech difficulties, vision impairment and behavioural problems. The severity of these conditions depends on how much alcohol you have consumed during your pregnancy. Cocaine addiction during pregnancy can cause placental abruption – where your placenta detaches from your uterus too early – which could result in loss of life to both you and your baby if not treated quickly enough.
2) Drug Rehab
If you’re an expecting mother who’s worried about her drinking or drug use, your first step is to talk to your doctor. Many doctors can offer you support and refer you to a rehab program in your area. Alternatively, you can talk to one of our team who will help give you the right advice and place you in a private rehab that is best for you. Most programs include group therapy sessions, which have been shown to be helpful in keeping people from relapsing once they get out of treatment. (And in case you were wondering: If you have a partner who’s addicted to drugs or alcohol, having an intervention won’t do much good unless he agrees that he needs help.)
3) Alcohol Rehab
According to a study published in 2011, 17 percent of pregnant women ages 18 to 44 drink alcohol. If you are currently pregnant or plan on getting pregnant, it’s important to know that alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), a condition that has serious health consequences for children. These effects include pre-natal growth deficiency, central nervous system dysfunction, facial deformities such as small eyes and thin upper lips and attention deficit disorder. The good news is that if you’re facing an addiction to drugs or alcohol while pregnant, there are treatment options available.
4) Finding A Rehab
After deciding that drug or alcohol rehab is a necessary next step, it’s important to find a program that best fits your needs. A significant part of choosing a rehab will be comparing various recovery methods—such as inpatient, outpatient, or intensive outpatient programs—to decide which style is best suited to meet your needs as well as those of your family. Additionally, you will likely want to research different treatment philosophies as they may relate to your unique struggles with substance abuse. For example, some philosophies may place more value on traditional rehabilitative techniques such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or group counseling while others might focus more on holistic practices like yoga and meditation. Lastly, consider researching costs and insurance coverage prior to making an informed decision about treatment.
