How does drug use during pregnancy affect the unborn baby?
Illicit Drugs Illicit drug use during pregnancy may cause miscarriage, preterm labor, birth defects, stillbirth, withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth, a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), poor fetal growth rate, and cognitive and behavioral problems.
What are the environmental effects of drug use?
The environmental impacts associated with such drugs include deforestation, watershed depletion and greenhouse gas emissions.
Can street drugs affect a pregnancy?
Babies born to moms who use street drugs during pregnancy can have these complications: Premature birth. This is birth that happens too early, before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Low birthweight.
How do drugs cause birth defects?
Certain drugs such as alcohol, some illegal drugs, and some prescription and over-the-counter medications are known to cause birth defects if taken during pregnancy. Drugs that can cause birth defects are called ‘teratogens’. A teratogen is a substance that interferes with the normal development of a fetus.
What environmental influences can affect prenatal development?
Environmental factors which have been implicated in adverse pregnancy outcome include smoking, video display terminals, anesthetic gases, antineoplastic drugs and exposure to lead, selenium and inorganic mercury.
What environmental factors cause birth defects?
A Sampling of Environmental Agents Studied in Relation to Birth Defects
| Agent1,2 | Birth Defect(s) |
|---|---|
| Organochlorine pesticides | Cryptorchidism, hypospadias |
| Ozone | Cardiac defects, cleft lip with or without cleft palate |
| Particulate matter | Vascular defects (patent ductus arteriosus) |
| Polychlorinated biphenyls | Hearing defects (rats) |
How does deforestation affect prescription drugs?
BBC News reports that “Over 50% of prescription drugs are derived from chemicals first identified in plants.” If deforestation is allowed to continue it potentially prevents scientists, medical professionals and other researchers from studying and analysing different plant and tree species found in forests across the world.
How do drugs affect a pregnant woman’s fetus?
A portion of everything that a pregnant woman consumes goes towards the nourishment and development of the fetus. As a result, anytime she uses drugs, her body sends some of these chemicals to the fetus.
What are the effects of cocaine and amphetamines during pregnancy?
Cocaine use during pregnancy also may be linked to an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS. Amphetamines or “speed” also are harmful to unborn babies. One study showed that the fetuses of mothers who used speed during pregnancy had decreased weight, length and head size.
Which plant species are most at risk from deforestation?
Some of the plant species most at risk from deforestation include the Yew tree from which a cancer drug paclitaxel is derived and the Hoodia, a plant that currently interests scientists’ due to its ability to suppress appetite.