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Drug abuse during pregnancy: Heroin
Heroin is one of the most abused drugs in the world. It is an opiate narcotic synthesized
from Morphine, one of the most powerful pain-
The spectrum of adverse effects to the fetus from heroin use in pregna
ncy range from
premature delivery, through growth restriction to stillbirth. Nor does the problem
stop at delivery, as such babies suffer serious withdrawal symptoms, needing treatment
which may last several days, even weeks.
More than half of heroin addict babies are born prematurely. Tragically, a substantial proportion of these fail to make it altogether.
Alternative to heroin in pregnancy
If you are already addicted to heroin and you find yourself pregnant, the advice is to switch to methadone, which is a related drug.
Methadone is administered at scheduled intervals (as opposed to haphazard heroin use). This helps to keep blood levels of the drug relatively stable. This helps minimize withdrawal, which is the scourge of heroin addiction for both mother and baby.
To stop or not to stop methadone when pregnant
It is preferable not to stop Methadone if already on this when you fall pregnant. If you stop, you are likely to unleash withdrawal in the fetus, which could be disastrous.
The advice is to continue taking methadone as per schedule and, with expert help, careful attempts to reduce the amounts taken could be started, if this is desired.
Attempts to quit altogether, though noble, should ideally be made after delivery.
Withdrawal problems for a baby whose mother was on Methadone
It is inevitable that a baby born to the mother who has maintained on Methadone will suffer some degree of withdrawal.
The degree of withdrawal symptoms will depend on the dose of methadone she was maintained on i.e. the higher the dose, the more severe the withdrawal symptoms.
