When you become pregnant, you should first consider about the baby in your womb. Your unborn baby should be your first priority because your every good or bad habit affects your baby. If you are addicted to smoking, drugs or alcohol, then you should avoid it completely for your healthy pregnancy and baby’s heath as well.
You should not take any medicine or drug or even herbal products without a prescription. Pregnancy is a very complicated period and your any small mistake can make wrong effect on your pregnancy or baby. Many women are badly addicted to smoking, drugs and alcohol and it is not possible for them to quit easily. In such cases, they need good psychological and physical treatment from expert consultant.
Effects of Smoking on Pregnancy
When you get pregnant, your lifestyle changes completely. If you do not quit smoking during your pregnancy period your baby will have to bear many harmful chemicals such as nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide. Due to effect of nicotine your blood vessels get narrow that results in lesser amounts of oxygen and nutrients being supplied to your baby.
You might experience vaginal bleeding, placental abruption, placenta previa, ectopic pregnancy or very low weight of baby at the time of birth or stillbirth i.e. fetal death of baby occurring just after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Risk of smoking can affect your baby even after birth. Your baby may suffer from asthma or sudden infant death syndrome called SIDS.
Effects of Alcohol on Pregnancy
You need to quit alcohol during pregnancy to prevent yourself from miscarriage or risk of premature delivery. Drinking habits affect your baby and cause mental retardation or fetal alcohol syndrome.
When you take drink such as beer, wine, hard liquor or other alcoholic drinks during pregnancy, alcohol reaches to your blood and your baby’s blood. Normally, an adult person’s liver can break down alcohol, which is not possible for the baby in your womb as its liver is still not developed properly. Therefore, it is very dangerous for your baby.
Effects of Drugs on Pregnancy
If you are taking any medicine or drug during pregnancy, it is strongly recommended that you consult your doctor. In early stage of pregnancy, use of drugs may cause birth defects in your baby or increase chances for miscarriage. During last trimester of pregnancy, use of illegal drugs can cause premature delivery or fetal death of baby. Illegal drugs such as Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin and Methamphetamine can cause various bad effects on your baby such as slow growth of your baby in your womb, birth defects; behavioral problems stroke risk, brain damage, premature birth and miscarriage.
Woman with smoking, alcohol or drug addiction cannot quit such habits instantly. She needs emotional support and medical consultation to get relief from it. Therefore, it is advisable that when you plan for baby, you or your partner should get ready mentally to get rid of such bad habits that can affect your baby.