What To Avoid During Pregnancy

Alcohol

Alcohol includes:

• Beer.
• Wine.
• Mixed drinks.
• Liquor.

Alcohol can cause serious birth defects called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Problems can include physical, mental, behavioral conditions and learning disabilities.

There is no known safe amount or safe time to drink alcohol when you are pregnant.

Tobacco

Avoid all forms of tobacco including e-cigarettes, vapes, snuff and secondhand smoke when you are pregnant and breastfeeding. Using tobacco:

• Is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
• Can cause babies to be born too early or too small.
• Increases the risk of stillbirth and crib death also known as sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS.

Did You Know?

You may have heard that e-cigarettes or vapes are safer than cigarettes and can help you quit smoking. But they usually contain the same harmful chemicals as cigarettes like nicotine.

Nicotine is an addictive poison. It can damage a developing baby’s brain and lungs. E-cigarettes and vapes may also contain other substances that are harmful. These include toxic heavy metals, flavorings and cancer-causing chemicals. They can also cause severe lung problems and death.

Illegal Drugs

Illegal drugs or street drugs are substances like heroin, cocaine and crystal meth. This also includes prescription drugs that belong to someone else or that you use differently than your provider tells you. Using illegal drugs can:

• Cause birth defects and problems with your placenta.
• Expose you to infections like hepatitis C and HIV that can be passed to your baby.
• Cause severe withdrawal symptoms in your baby after delivery.

There is no known safe amount or safe time to use illegal or street drugs when you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Marijuana

Do not use any form of marijuana when you are pregnant. Using any form of marijuana including medical marijuana is not safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Using marijuana:

• Can cause harm to your baby’s brain development before birth.
• Puts your baby at high risk for being born early, at a low birth weight and stillborn.
• May make it hard to care for your baby because of feeling dizzy, impairing your judgement or shortness of breath.

Opioids

Use of opioids during pregnancy can affect you and your baby. Opioids include Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Morphine, Fentanyl and Heroin. These substances are available through a prescription or bought off the street. Opioid use in pregnancy increases risks of:

• Preterm or early delivery.
• Poor fetal growth.
• Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)/Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS): drug withdrawal symptoms in the newborn that can last days to weeks after birth. This requires the baby to stay in the hospital for care.
• Death of mom or baby during or after delivery.

Treatment for opioid use disorder can be done during pregnancy and can increase the chance of having a healthy pregnancy and delivery.