Rehab for Pregnant Women
For many expectant mothers, pregnancy is a beautiful thing. It’s carrying your future child for nine months, nurturing him or her, sharing food, and feeling the baby grow with each passing day. Pregnancy and giving birth are the miracles of life; however, for many women in the US, it can cause anxiety, depression, and fear if they’re addicted to drugs or alcohol and need drug rehab for pregnant mothers.
When a woman becomes pregnant, it’s no surprise that she begins to be more careful and considerate with the things she eats and puts in her body. Making these types of changes has the ability to make expectant mothers more aware of life choices that may have been unhealthy in the past. This is why it is not completely uncommon for expectant mothers to seek drug or alcohol rehab for pregnant women.
Let’s Look at the Statistics
In 2013, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention surveyed pregnant women. One out of 33 women admitted to binge drinking within the past 30 days of their pregnancy. The same study also showed that binge drinking was most common in pregnant women between the ages of 35-44 years old and who were college-educated and unmarried.
The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOAFS) also discovered that the leading cause of congenital disabilities in infants in the US is alcohol abuse. Surprisingly, the study also proved that alcohol abuse ranks higher than other illicit substances and drugs when it comes to substances causing negative effects to a fetus.
What are the Dangers of Pregnancy and Substance Abuse?
While it’s definitely agreed upon that drug and alcohol use during pregnancy causes damage to the fetus and birth complications, a few factors come into play to determine the extent of the damage. Questions such as how long the mother has been abusing substances, their tolerance level, and what kind of substances they are using are all questions that must be considered when entering drug or alcohol rehab for pregnant women and looking at the specific dangers and risks involved. Different types of substances create different problems and risks when combined with pregnancy.
Some of the common issues that present include:
- Stillbirth
- Miscarriage
- Low birth weight
- Premature birth
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
- Other congenital disabilities
Preventing these issues is vital in saving the mother and child’s life, making drug rehab for pregnant women a vital service at rehab centers.