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PREGNANCY AND DRUGS

Pregnancy is a time of change for women and can sometimes be uncomfortable physically and stressful emotionally. It is a time when women try to take particular care of their health. Getting plenty of rest exercise, and good nutrition are all aspects of a pregnant woman’s health. Drug use is another important aspect of a woman’s health during pregnancy.

Drugs that are of concern in pregnancy include: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, amphetamines, heroin, cocaine, tranquillisers and sleeping pills, painkillers, LSD, Ecstasy and other designer drugs, glues and aerosols. Some prescription drugs can also be a problem during pregnancy, so discuss this with your doctor as soon as you know you are pregnant.
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Alcohol in Pregnancy

Alcohol is a depressant. It slows down the activity in the brain and can effect concentration and coordination and the response time to unexpected situations. In small doses, alcohol makes you feel relaxed and lower inhibitions. You feel more confident. In large prolonged doses, it can cause unconsciousness and even deathLike many drugs, alcohol crosses the placenta. Alcohol can cause problems such as miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and small babies due to slow growth in pregnancy.

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Amphetamines in Pregnancy

Amphetamines belong to a group of drugs called ‘psychostimulants’. Amphetamines stimulate the central nervous system, which speeds up the messages going to and from the brain to the body. It alters moods in different ways, depending on how it is taken. Adverse effects range from mild to severe, depending on the dose of amphetamine used and other drugs being used.

Amphetamines are commonly known as ‘speed’. MDMA or ‘ecstasy’ is a designer drug related to amphetamines. Amphetamines usually appear as a whitish yellow powder, and occasionally in liquid form. Amphetamines in its smoked form is often referred to ‘ice’, ‘ chalk’, ‘glass’, ‘shabu’ or ‘crystal meth’

Using amphetamines during pregnancy can affect the baby’s development before birth and has been linked with early labour and miscarriage. Amphetamines also cause the heart rate of mother and baby to increase. It is also known to cause poor appetite in the mother and high blood pressure, with reduced blood flow to the placenta resulting in the baby being smaller at birth.
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Cannabis use in Pregnancy

Cannabis is a drug that comes from the cannabis sativa plant. The active chemical is THC (Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol). Cannabis is a depressant which slows the messages going to and from the brain to the body. Cannabis can also have mild hallucinogenic effects. The main The main form of cannabis used in Australia is marijuana. Long term use of cannabis has been linked to anxiety and depression . Heavy cannabis use can affect your memory and how clearly you think. It may also increase the risk of paranoia and hallucinations.

Cannabis use during pregnancy is harmful to your baby, however it is not associated with birth abnormalities. The effects of cannabis on your pregnancy are similar to that of tobacco smoking. Reduced oxygen and nutrition to your baby via the placenta may occur and result in reduced growth and development of your baby during pregnancy.
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Benzodiazepines in Pregnancy

Benzodiazepines belong to a group of drugs known as minor tranquillisers. Benzodiazepines are depressants and slows the messages going to and from the brain to the body, including physical, mental and emotional responses.desert

Drugs in this group include: Diazepam (Valium, Ducene), Oxazepam (Serepax, Murelax), Temazepam (Normison, Euhypnos)and Clonazepam (Rivotril).

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Hepatitis during Pregnancy

The word ‘hepatitis’ means an infection or inflammation of the liver. If the liver becomes inflamed due to an infection with a virus it is called ‘viral hepatitis’. However, the liver can also become inflamed through excessive alcohol intake or by taking certain medications or being exposed to certain chemicals.

Some viral hepatitis infections only cause a temporary dysfunction of the liver, while others can cause permanent liver damage (called ‘cirrhosis’). In some cases, a small number of people with cirrhosis may eventually experience liver failure or liver cancer later in life. However, this will depend on the type of hepatitis involved.
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