Having a Healthy Pregnancy
The Dangers of Smoking, Medications, and Street Drugs
Everyone wants to have a healthy baby. With good prenatal care and proper nutrition, most pregnant women do. However, while you are pregnant your lifestyle and habits can affect your health and the health of the fetus.
Many women wonder what's okay during pregnancy and what is not. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol pose clear risks to the fetus. However, the effects of many substances, for example hair dyes, are uncertain. If you don't have to expose yourself to such risks, it is probably best to avoid them.
The following guidelines will help you have a healthy pregnancy. Talk with your clinician if you have a specific concern not discussed here or if you have additional questions.
If You Smoke, It's Time to Quit!
Smoking is the single most important cause of problems in most pregnancies. These problems are completely preventable by you by stopping smoking. Cigarette smoking is a threat to anyone's health. It is especially dangerous for your unborn baby. When you smoke, you inhale carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other chemicals. These chemicals reduce the oxygen and nutrients available for the growing fetus. The more cigarettes you smoke, the greater the risk. Switching to a low-tar, low-nicotine brand of cigarette does very little to reduce these risks.
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and infant death, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS or "crib death"). Women who smoke during pregnancy often have smaller babies compared to women who do not smoke. Low birthweight babies are more likely to have health problems than normal weight babies.
Secondary smoke from other household members or coworkers is also unhealthy during pregnancy. This is true after birth as well. Babies exposed to secondary smoke are more likely to get respiratory infections and colds.
Pregnant women (and their partners) who smoke should quit, or at the very least, cut down on their smoking. Quitting as soon as you realize you are pregnant is best, but quitting anytime during your pregnancy will help your baby. Cigarette smoking is addictive and it can be very hard to quit. "Stop smoking" programs can help you overcome the habit.
Nicotine patches, gum, and other methods of quitting should be discussed with your physician.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can seriously harm the developing fetus. When you drink alcohol, your bloodstream absorbs it quickly and passes it on to the fetus. Drinking during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Babies with FAS often grow more slowly, both before and after birth. Babies whose mothers consumed alcohol during pregnancy are also at greater risk for low birthweight, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, developmental delays, mental retardation, and learning disabilities.
These effects are most common in babies whose mothers drank more than five drinks per day throughout pregnancy. Drinking six or more drinks per day poses a major risk to the fetus. The effects of light or moderate drinking during pregnancy are uncertain.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy does nothing to improve your health or the health of your baby, but it can be harmful. For these reasons, it is safest not to drink alcohol at all during pregnancy.
Medications
Many medications reach the fetus through mother's bloodstream. All medications, whether prescribed by your clinician or purchased over-the counter, can potentially affect the developing fetus. A few medications have well-known harmful effects while the effects of others are uncertain.
Avoid unnecessary medications during pregnancy. This is especially important during the first 14 weeks after your last menstrual period when fetal organ systems are forming.
Women with asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, seizures, or low thyroid function may need to continue their medication throughout pregnancy under a clinician's supervision. If you take medication for a medical condition, don't stop taking your prescription simply because you are pregnant. The benefits of these medications may outweigh possible risks to the fetus. Call your clinician as soon as possible to discuss how to manage your condition during pregnancy.
There may be times during pregnancy when you need to take medication, often to prevent potential complications. There are medications that have been used safely during pregnancy and your clinician will try to choose one of these. For example, a persistent fever may be harmful to the fetus. Pregnant women should take acetaminophen (Datril, Panadol, Tylenol) as needed to reduce a fever. Acetaminophen is safe to take as directed during pregnancy. If you have questions about a particular medication, check with your health care team before taking it. Tell any clinician who prescribes medication for you that you are pregnant.
Illegal drugs (street drugs)
Illegal drugs such as cocaine and crack reach the fetus, often with tragic results. These drugs increase the chances of miscarriage, premature birth, and stillbirth. Many babies whose mothers used illegal drugs during pregnancy have serious health problems. Premature birth, small size for gestational age, and low birthweight put them at greater risk for illness and death. These babies are also at greater risk for long-term problems such as mental retardation and learning and behavior problems. Some drugs stay in the baby's system after birth. In this case, babies are born addicted. Often they must suffer the effects of drug withdrawal, which include irritability, sweating, and tremors or seizures. In addition, intravenous drug use puts mothers and babies at risk for serious infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. Consider getting help before you get pregnant.
source : www.womanhealth.net
The Dangers of Smoking, Medications, and Street Drugs
Everyone wants to have a healthy baby. With good prenatal care and proper nutrition, most pregnant women do. However, while you are pregnant your lifestyle and habits can affect your health and the health of the fetus.
Many women wonder what's okay during pregnancy and what is not. Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol pose clear risks to the fetus. However, the effects of many substances, for example hair dyes, are uncertain. If you don't have to expose yourself to such risks, it is probably best to avoid them.
The following guidelines will help you have a healthy pregnancy. Talk with your clinician if you have a specific concern not discussed here or if you have additional questions.
If You Smoke, It's Time to Quit!
Smoking is the single most important cause of problems in most pregnancies. These problems are completely preventable by you by stopping smoking. Cigarette smoking is a threat to anyone's health. It is especially dangerous for your unborn baby. When you smoke, you inhale carbon monoxide, nicotine, and other chemicals. These chemicals reduce the oxygen and nutrients available for the growing fetus. The more cigarettes you smoke, the greater the risk. Switching to a low-tar, low-nicotine brand of cigarette does very little to reduce these risks.
Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and infant death, including sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS or "crib death"). Women who smoke during pregnancy often have smaller babies compared to women who do not smoke. Low birthweight babies are more likely to have health problems than normal weight babies.
Secondary smoke from other household members or coworkers is also unhealthy during pregnancy. This is true after birth as well. Babies exposed to secondary smoke are more likely to get respiratory infections and colds.
Pregnant women (and their partners) who smoke should quit, or at the very least, cut down on their smoking. Quitting as soon as you realize you are pregnant is best, but quitting anytime during your pregnancy will help your baby. Cigarette smoking is addictive and it can be very hard to quit. "Stop smoking" programs can help you overcome the habit.
Nicotine patches, gum, and other methods of quitting should be discussed with your physician.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can seriously harm the developing fetus. When you drink alcohol, your bloodstream absorbs it quickly and passes it on to the fetus. Drinking during pregnancy can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Babies with FAS often grow more slowly, both before and after birth. Babies whose mothers consumed alcohol during pregnancy are also at greater risk for low birthweight, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, developmental delays, mental retardation, and learning disabilities.
These effects are most common in babies whose mothers drank more than five drinks per day throughout pregnancy. Drinking six or more drinks per day poses a major risk to the fetus. The effects of light or moderate drinking during pregnancy are uncertain.
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy does nothing to improve your health or the health of your baby, but it can be harmful. For these reasons, it is safest not to drink alcohol at all during pregnancy.
Medications
Many medications reach the fetus through mother's bloodstream. All medications, whether prescribed by your clinician or purchased over-the counter, can potentially affect the developing fetus. A few medications have well-known harmful effects while the effects of others are uncertain.
Avoid unnecessary medications during pregnancy. This is especially important during the first 14 weeks after your last menstrual period when fetal organ systems are forming.
Women with asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, seizures, or low thyroid function may need to continue their medication throughout pregnancy under a clinician's supervision. If you take medication for a medical condition, don't stop taking your prescription simply because you are pregnant. The benefits of these medications may outweigh possible risks to the fetus. Call your clinician as soon as possible to discuss how to manage your condition during pregnancy.
There may be times during pregnancy when you need to take medication, often to prevent potential complications. There are medications that have been used safely during pregnancy and your clinician will try to choose one of these. For example, a persistent fever may be harmful to the fetus. Pregnant women should take acetaminophen (Datril, Panadol, Tylenol) as needed to reduce a fever. Acetaminophen is safe to take as directed during pregnancy. If you have questions about a particular medication, check with your health care team before taking it. Tell any clinician who prescribes medication for you that you are pregnant.
Illegal drugs (street drugs)
Illegal drugs such as cocaine and crack reach the fetus, often with tragic results. These drugs increase the chances of miscarriage, premature birth, and stillbirth. Many babies whose mothers used illegal drugs during pregnancy have serious health problems. Premature birth, small size for gestational age, and low birthweight put them at greater risk for illness and death. These babies are also at greater risk for long-term problems such as mental retardation and learning and behavior problems. Some drugs stay in the baby's system after birth. In this case, babies are born addicted. Often they must suffer the effects of drug withdrawal, which include irritability, sweating, and tremors or seizures. In addition, intravenous drug use puts mothers and babies at risk for serious infectious diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. Consider getting help before you get pregnant.
source : www.womanhealth.net
No comments:
Post a Comment