Substance Use and Caring for Your Baby
Substance Use and Pregnancy - Alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes (vaping), marijuana and other drugs can harm your baby’s health, and it is important not to use them during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Also, after pregnancy, you need to keep you baby away from smoke. Often your health care provider can suggest alternatives to help you deal with anxiety, nausea and pain. Click here to find out how these substances affect your baby’s growth and development, and find resources on quitting and treatment.
Resources / Recursos
Click the links below to access information about using particular substances while pregnant, nursing and caring for children
Alcohol
Any amount of alcohol during pregnancy is considered unsafe. Even if you think you may be pregnant, it is important not to drink alcohol until you are certain you are not pregnant. According to Oregon Health Authority's website, when women drink alcohol, they increase the risk of having a baby with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Babies born with FAS:
- Can have abnormal facial features
- Often grow more slowly than other babies
- Can have central nervous system problems
- Can have mental disabilities
Marijuana
Even though it is legal to use small amounts of marijuana in the state of Oregon, it is important to provide your baby a healthy start in life and abstain from using marijuana. THC (tetrahydrocannabinal), the psychoactive compound found in marijuana has been shown to cross the placenta and into breastmilk. Research indicates that the use of marijuana can interfere with the growth of a fetus, and pose health issues to babies whose mother breastfeeds and uses marijuana.
For more information about the risks of using marijuana, download one of the following resources:
Opioids
If you are pregnant and have opioid use disorder (OUD), there are things you can do to have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby. Receiving good prenatal care throughout your pregnancy is very important. During pregnancy, OUD should be treated with medicines, counseling and recovery support. Your care team can help you prepare for pregnancy, manage your treatment plan during pregnancy, stop tobacco and alcohol use, connect you with additional services and resources in the community, and support you in your recovery.
Medications - What's Safe During Pregnancy?
Food and Drug Administration external icon’s (FDA) site contains information about taking medicines during pregnancy:
- FDA’s Office of Women’s Health external icon developed a fact sheet about medicines and pregnancy, which is available in English pdf icon external icon and Spanish pdf icon external icon.
- FDA maintains an alphabetical index of safety information for specific drugs external icon.
Visit the CDC's website to learn more about what medications are safe during pregnancy
Vaping, Smoking, and Tobacco
E-cigarettes, vaping, smoking, and tobacco of any kind can cause a variety of health issues in developing fetuses and babies. Using e-cigarettes and smoking, are connected to low birth weight, premature birth, long-term breathing problems, delays in physical development, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Download one of the resources below to learn more, or reach out to one of the local smoking cessation programs listed at the bottom of the screen.
Local Partner Organizations
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