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 Centre for Addictionand Mental Health |
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About Mental Health & Addictions
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Part I - Is It Safe for My Baby While I'm Pregnant?In this section:
Mothers want to do everything they can to ensure their babies’ safety. This begins with the mother’s own health during pregnancy and her knowledge about possible risks to her unborn baby. Learn about the risk of birth defects. Only about one to two per cent of all birth defects are due to medication, drugs and chemical exposure during pregnancy. More than 95 per cent of birth defects occur by chance or genetics rather than drug use. Some birth defects, such as Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis, are genetic or an effect of the mother’s age along with chance. Still other birth defects are related to the mother’s health; for example, a result of an exposure to an infectious disease during pregnancy. Sometimes the cause of a birth defect is unknown. As the unborn baby is developing, different organs are affected at different times. This is why it is best to avoid risky substances throughout pregnancy, except when a medication is necessary to the mother’s own health. In some cases, it may be possible to lower the dose of a needed drug or to substitute another drug that is safer for the baby. If you are pregnant now and worried that alcohol or other drug use may have already affected your pregnancy, talk to your health care provider or Motherisk. Tell health care providers what medications and other substances you are taking. If you are pregnant, think you might be pregnant, or are planning to get pregnant, it’s important to tell all your health care providers about any substances you may have swallowed, inhaled or used on your skin. This is because chemicals can enter the body through the skin, gums, vagina and lungs, as well as through the stomach. Tell health care providers about use of:
This information should be shared with everyone who is prescribing, supplying and giving medications; in other words, doctors, midwives, pharmacists, nurses, dentists and any other health care providers involved in your care. Some women worry that their drug use will be reported. Your health care provider is legally obliged to report your drug use if the provider has reasonable grounds to suspect that your baby, once born, may be harmed as a result of your drug use. Discuss your concerns about being reported to child protection agencies directly with your health care providers. They will explain what their ethical and legal obligations are. They can also help you deal with your substance use. It’s safest to stop use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs before getting pregnant. But even if you have used any of these substances while pregnant, it’s not too late to get proper prenatal care. Many people are trained to help you deal with a substance use problem. A family doctor, spiritual leader, nurse, social worker, counsellor and others working in social services and public health are great people to contact initially — either to offer help directly or to give you details about the services available in your community. Many find it difficult to stop using alcohol and other drugs. If you need information about treatment resources, contact:
If you need information about a specific drug or chemical, call:
For information about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, alcohol and substance use, call:
Share information with all your health care providers. Because of confidentiality issues, you can’t assume that the information you tell one health care provider will automatically be shared with another. Mental health information cannot be shared unless you give signed consent. It’s your responsibility to share information that affects the health of you and your baby with your doctor, midwife and all other health care providers. This includes information about alcohol, tobacco and any other prescription, over-the-counter medication or illegal drug you may be taking. For more information about cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation while pregnant, contact a cancer treatment specialist or Motherisk. |
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Last updated: Dec 29, 2006 5:09 PM Published: Oct 26, 2009 5:25 PM ID#P18682 |