Pregnant Women

Effects of Using Drugs While Pregnant

Many factors play into the risks of using drugs or alcohol while pregnant. These include the drug being abused, how often the substance is used, and at what point during the pregnancy the substance was introduced.

In general, common effects of substance abuse during pregnancy include:

• Placental abruption
• Miscarriage
• Premature birth
• Stillbirth
• Speech and language delays
• Poor reasoning and judgment skills
• Difficulty managing emotions
• Intellectual disability or low IQ
• Vision or hearing problems
• Developmental defects
• Low birth weight
• Small head size
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Postnatal withdrawal syndrome
• Abnormal facial features
• Poor coordination
• Impaired ability to learn
• Issues with the heart, kidneys, liver, or bones

Additionally, many babies who are born to women who have abused alcohol and drugs may develop additional health issues as well, including:

• Heart problems: Consuming alcohol and taking certain drugs during pregnancy can cause heart defects, particularly septal defects (a hole in the heart). Most infants born with heart defects die within the first year of life.
• Infections, such as hepatitis C and HIV: These viruses are often transmitted by people who use and share needles when they use drugs intravenously, such as injecting heroin. Viruses can be passed on to the unborn baby during pregnancy or at birth, which can increase the likelihood of premature death, among other problems.
• Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS): This syndrome can occur when a baby is born to a mother with a substance use disorder (most commonly, opioid addiction) and develops withdrawal symptoms after birth.
• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs): These disorders are associated with a range of cognitive and developmental difficulties resulting from alcohol use during pregnancy, and they usually last for life. Adults can even show signs of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Alcohol abuse during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, and birth defects in children in the U.S. What’s more, women who use drugs are more likely to receive delayed, limited, or no prenatal care at all, which could potentially lead to other complications for the growing fetus. The sooner an expecting woman can find a rehab for pregnant women, the better chance her baby has at being born full-term without complications.

How Can Contingency Management, Motivational Interviewing, And Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Help Pregnant Women In Their Recovery Journey?

In addressing the question of how various therapeutic approaches can aid pregnant women on their recovery journey from substance use disorders, it's beneficial to highlight three particular methods: contingency management, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Contingency Management
This method motivates positive behavioral change by offering tangible rewards. For pregnant women, this can include incentives for each negative drug test. This kind of positive reinforcement encourages adherence to treatment protocols and helps to sustain drug-free behaviors.

Motivational Interviewing
Motivational interviewing is pivotal in empowering pregnant women to commit to their recovery. This client-centered counseling style aids women in navigating their ambivalence about change. By enhancing their motivation, women are better prepared to engage in the treatment process and implement new, healthier habits.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is instrumental in helping pregnant women understand and alter problematic behaviors through a focus on modifying dysfunctional thoughts and emotions. By identifying triggers and developing coping strategies, CBT aids women in creating lasting behavioral changes that are critical during and after pregnancy.

Together, these therapies provide a robust framework for supporting pregnant women in overcoming substance use disorders, each addressing different facets of the psychological and behavioral challenges they may face.

What Are Some Positive Outcomes Associated With Substance Abuse Therapy For Pregnant Women?

Being pregnant is challenging enough without having to worry about drug addiction as well. Our Milford rehab offers substance abuse treatment during pregnancy for women within the first 7 months of their prenatal1 period. Expecting mothers who enter our rehab facility will begin with medically monitored detox, during which they’re slowly tapered or weaned off the substance in question under the care of our medical team. Our medical detox in Delaware is a crucial step in the addiction recovery process because it provides the individual with 24-hour care and medical support to reduce withdrawals and drug cravings. After detox, our expecting mothers can then move on to substance-specific Delaware addiction treatment.

Research shows that engaging in substance abuse therapy during pregnancy can lead to significant positive outcomes. One study found that this type of therapy led to increased fetal growth, which is crucial for lowering the chance of negative neonatal outcomes. Additionally, treatments like methadone have been shown to lower the risk of relapse, boost adherence with prenatal care, and result in better overall outcomes for the newborn. Such treatments play a pivotal role in ensuring both the mother and baby emerge healthier post-treatment.

No matter the level of care that a patient is placed in, they will have access to our variety of therapy programs and sessions. Receiving drug treatment during pregnancy may seem terrifying, but if you’re an expecting mother with an addiction or know someone who is, we can help you give yourself and your baby a chance at a healthy and happy life.

What are some comprehensive addiction treatment options available for pregnant women?

Our Milford rehab offers substance abuse treatment during pregnancy for women within the first 7 months of their prenatal period. Expecting mothers who enter our rehab facility will begin with medically monitored detox, during which they're slowly tapered or weaned off the substance in question under the care of our medical team. Our medical detox in Delaware is a crucial step in the addiction recovery process because it provides the individual with 24-hour care and medical support to reduce withdrawals and drug cravings.

Following the detox phase, our comprehensive program includes a variety of tailored services designed by a team of multidisciplinary professionals. We understand that each woman’s journey is unique, and so our treatment plans are personalized. These include:

• Pregnancy education and counseling to help understand the changes happening in the body and how to manage them alongside recovery.
• Parenting training classes, which prepare mothers for the journey ahead, focusing on nurturing and child care skills.
• Individual, group, and family therapy to address personal issues and improve relationship dynamics.
• Assessment and treatment for co-occurring disorders to manage any mental health conditions alongside substance abuse.
• Engaging in 12-step programming to foster a supportive community and sustain recovery.

To further support our clients, we offer:

• Comprehensive prenatal care to monitor the health of both mother and baby regularly.
• Life skills workshops that empower women to handle daily stresses and decision-making more effectively.
• Aftercare planning to ensure continuous support after leaving our facility.

Our therapeutic approaches are evidence-based and include contingency management, motivational interviewing, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which have been proven effective in treating pregnant women with substance use disorders. Receiving drug treatment during pregnancy may seem terrifying, but if you're an expecting mother with an addiction or know someone who is, we can help you give yourself and your baby a chance at a healthy and happy life. Our goal is to provide a safe, nurturing environment where you can focus on healing and preparing for a brighter future.

Our Drug and Alcohol Rehab for Pregnant Women

The first step of treatment for pregnant women at our nationwide rehab is medically supervised detox. Our detox for pregnant women is a form of care in which the individual is slowly weaned off drugs or alcohol. This is an essential step in the recovery process because it ensures that our soon-to-be mothers and their fetuses are safe and healthy during withdrawals. Withdrawal symptoms can be highly uncomfortable, painful, and even life-threatening, and when pregnancy is added to the mix, the risk of relapse and other complications runs high

Additionally, the risk of miscarriage is high when detoxing from drugs while pregnant, which further emphasizes the need for our staff and 24-hour medical care that we provide. Our treatment centers offer a safe drug detox for pregnancy that decreases the risk of miscarriage and relapse and increases the likelihood of getting clean.

In addition to our pregnant women’s detox program, our residential rehab for pregnant women also offers counseling, individual and group therapy, psychotherapy, and aftercare services to help clients get and stay sober. There are not many rehabs for pregnant women or treatment centers that are equipped to treat clients of this nature, but thankfully, our addiction treatment centers around the nation can help.