Smoking marijuana during pregnancy doubles risk of premature birth

For some people the prospect of accessing a detox rehab program is less than appealing.  It may be due to fear or because they like their lives at the moment, but whatever the reason, people will often come up with excuses for not accessing help.  For some this poses few problems, as they may not be affecting the lives of others in any way, but for other individuals there may come a point when their resistance to treatment becomes problematic.

One common situation where denial of treatment needs can have a serious impact on an individual, and on others, is the instance of pregnant females who suffer from an addiction.  For some the expectation of a child can be a strong enough incentive for them to access help and turn their lives around, but for others the lure of drugs is stronger still, and this can have serious implications for both their health and that of their child.

However even those who choose to give up drugs when they become aware they are pregnant may still be putting their child at risk, as research has show that in women who , their risk of a premature birth was more than doubled (Medical News Today, 2012), and premature birth puts both mother and child at risk.

It is for this reason that encouraging people to access drug treatments as soon as possible is so important, as is helping them understand the risks that they face if they do not choose to access treatment.  Having the appropriate support and help to overcome an addiction can mean the difference between life and death in some cases, and this is always worth the effort.

Medical News Today.  (2012).  Risk of premature birth doubled by marijuana use.  Sourced from:http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/247945.php

Published by on 31/07/2020.