How Tobacco and Substance Use Affects Mothers & Babies

Tobacco and Substance use such as Marijuana, can greatly affect the lives and bodies of mothers and their babies, especially when the mother is pregnant. Prenatal use of marijuana may cause a lot of fetus health problems such as low birth weight and may even cause miscarriage. Marijuana is reported to be the most frequently used drug during pregnancy, however, harmful substances can travel through the placenta and reach the fetus, therefore, it is highly recommended that expectant mothers completely avoid and/or abandon all uses of marijuana. Substance use during pregnancy can also cause long term effects after the baby is born such as neurological development.

Likewise, smoking of any sort including tobacco can cause harmful effects to the growth and development of the child. Some of these harmful effects include preterm birth defects and low birth weight. Anything containing nicotine can overall be very dangerous for pregnant women and can potentially lead to disease and disability for the individual using it. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke also has deadly effects. Over 40,000 deaths have occurred related to nonsmoking adults and hundreds of infant deaths. Although these are very unfortunate circumstances, there are many reasons why people suffer from substance and tobacco misuse. If you want help reducing or quitting, talk with your provider, or reach out to Quitpartner at Quitpartner.com and by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (784-8669) there are free services available.

Sadia Ahmed

Community Health Worker

Wellshare International

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