Pregnancy and Addiction: Guide to Rehab for Pregnant Mothers

Addiction and pregnancy is the deadliest combination that aggravates if accompanied by mental health disorder. CDC, in September 2022, reported that 23% of deaths during pregnancy were attributed to Substance use and mental health disorders. Pregnant women struggling with addiction often look for rehab for pregnant mothers near me but get confused due to limited knowledge of the treatment.

ChoicePoint Addiction Treatment Center provides personalized treatment for expecting mothers according to their needs. Call 844.445.2565 to book an appointment or discuss your query!

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Addiction in Pregnancy: Effects and Types of Substance Use Disorders

Substance use, such as tobacco, illicit drugs, and alcohol during pregnancy, can pose grave threats to both the mother and baby. Addiction to these may cause neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in babies that require withdrawal after birth. Research suggests that 5% of women during pregnancy are addicted to one or more substances. Every substance affects a woman’s health, as many hormonal changes occur.

Alcohol Use During Pregnancy

Alcohol use during pregnancy causes fetal alcohol spectrum syndromes (FASDs), which is a set of alcohol-related disorders in newborns that results in:

• Cognitive, i.e., intellectual
• Behavioral, i.e., antisocial
• Physical, i.e., facial deformity, muscle joints and heart

Disabilities can even cause stillbirth or miscarriage. Due to limited knowledge of alcohol tolerance during pregnancy, it has become the leading cause of birth defects.

Cannabis (Marijuana) Misuse During Pregnancy

Reports suggest that 3 to 16% of all pregnant women use cannabis. There’s not much data about marijuana-related effects, but generally, it is suggested that marijuana misuse is related to poor development of babies, including:

• Delayed neurological response 
• Stillbirth 
• Low weight

Whereas quitting marijuana without professional guidance might hit a woman with withdrawal symptoms that may be inconvenient to bear. Rehab for pregnant mothers is the safest way to treat symptoms. This is how it may ensure the safety of the mother and her child.

Opioid Use in Pregnancy

Opioids such as morphine, fentanyl, and heroin used during pregnancy pose significant threats to both woman and baby. 

• Sudden infant death (SID)
• Abnormal presentation of baby
• Premature delivery
• Maternal death

Even if, with some chance, a baby survives, it will still experience withdrawal symptoms of opioids lasting from 8 to 14 days. Addiction to opioids during pregnancy poses greater risks of heart failure. However, timely treatment at rehab can help avoid fatal consequences.

Stimulant Misuse While Pregnant

Stimulants such as methamphetamines, Adderall, and cocaine are the most widely used substances among addiction-struggling people. Expecting mothers are no less secure from it. Pregnant women and fetuses may experience the following effects due to excessive opioid misuse:

• Spontaneous miscarriage
• Premature birth
• Cardiovascular issues
• Placental rupture

Using meth and cocaine individually causes cognitive, physical, and withdrawal side effects defined later on in symptoms of withdrawal after birth.

Benzodiazepine Misuse in Pregnancy

Benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium are prescribed due to sleeping disorders or mental health-related issues in pregnant women. However, they often get misused and addicted if kept unchecked and cause:

• Floppy infant syndrome (FIS), i.e., poor respiratory function and low muscle count.
• Miscarriage
• Withdrawal symptoms

During pregnancy, benzos easily pass through the placenta and harm the baby in its developmental stage. Addiction rehab can put a barrier between these drugs and pregnancy to achieve a sober outcome.

Withdrawal Symptoms of Pregnancy-related Addiction

As the substances pass from mother to baby, their development alters due to chemical changes which result in withdrawal experiences for the baby born, including:

• Poor feeding
• Hyperactive reflexes
• Seizures and trembling
• Fever
• Slow weight gain and development

Whereas a woman may experience symptoms of overdose or withdrawal during pregnancy, such as:

• Social anxiety
• Physical changes
• Sudden mood swings
• Headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Cravings and increased tolerance

However, drug rehab for pregnant mothers can effectively manage these drugs out of the system and avoid withdrawal symptoms before the baby is born, helping both the baby and mother live a healthy life. 

It’s never too late to quit any substance under professional supervision. Call 844.445.2565 to get sober today with a healthy baby inside of you! 

What Treatment is Available for Pregnant Mothers in Rehab Center?

Rehab for Pregnant Mothers: How Does it Work?

If a woman has developed a substance use disorder, abandoning substances at once may prove cumbersome or even become fatal. That is why alcohol or drug rehab for pregnant mothers provides a personalized treatment plan to withdraw substances gradually. 

Medically Supervised Detox while Pregnant

A detox while pregnant is the first step in addiction treatment. Detox is defined as removing toxic substances from the body while managing its withdrawal symptoms and complications. Practitioners often prescribe the following FDA-approved medications during detox to assist the withdrawal process without any further harm.

• Suboxone 
• Subutex
• Naltrexone
• Buprenorphine

Drug withdrawal during pregnancy without medical supervision can lead to fetal stress and fetal death. Research suggests a higher rate of relapse if detox is not accompanied by medication-assisted treatment in pregnant women. Therefore, opting for an addiction rehab for full-fledged care is indispensable.

Pregnancy and Co-occurring Disorders: Handling Prenatal and Postpartum Mental Illness

During pregnancy, a woman, due to previous traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse or PTSD, often uses substances to alleviate mental health disorders such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Stress 

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Moreover, postpartum depression is more likely to occur with substance use disorder due to various psychological, behavioral, physical, and hormonal changes that occur due to 

• Domestic violence or disturbed partner relationship
• Lack of social support
• History of mental health problems

All of these factors, combined with addiction disorder, worsen the condition of both the baby and mother. To ease both, rehab for pregnant mothers provide a Dual Diagnosis treatment program to treat SUDs and mental health disorder substantially. 

Initially, psychiatrists use two therapies such as:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy addresses past traumas and helps in changing negative thoughts due to negative experiences into a positive attitude that protects both the mother’s and baby’s mental health.
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy works on aggressive emotions due to excessive hormonal changes and helps learn new skills to control one’s substance use.

Rest therapies are addressed in addiction counseling during rehab for pregnant mothers to treat other psychological factors contributing to mental illness and substance use.

Overcoming Stigma and Fear with Addiction Counseling

Various life factors, such as 

• Stigma from society and guilt of pregnancy
• Fear of impaired relationship and losing a child
• Unemployment due to pregnancy
• Lack of self-confidence

Reduces overall mental health during and after pregnancy. This harms the baby and mother’s life. Addiction counselors, during rehab treatment, plan three essential therapies with the expecting mother such as:

• Individual
• Family
• Group

Maintaining Sobriety in Aftercare to Prevent Relapse

Addiction treatment typically lasts for 90-120 days in most cases. However, a continuum of care is necessary to maintain sobriety and prevent withdrawal symptoms in babies after birth. For this, addiction rehab for pregnant mothers provides an aftercare plan that includes:

• Regular checkups
• History management of substance use
• Mental health counseling
• Recreational activity plan
• Nutritional plan
• 24/7 telehealth support

Adding to this, postpartum depression poses a higher risk of relapse due to unemployment and the inability to carry out child responsibilities. So, an aftercare can provide comprehensive safety from relapsing to substance use.

Get your personalized and comprehensive addiction treatment with ChoicePoint! Call 844.445.2565 to book an appointment.

Removing Barrier to Care: Alcohol and Drug Rehab for Pregnant Mothers

Pregnancy is a challenging and daunting experience for women, but when accompanied by addiction, it becomes exploding and even fatal for both. ChoicePoint Addiction Treatment Center provides exceptional care for expecting mothers with expertise in treatment.

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Call Now 844.445.2565 for same-day prescriptions from our DEA-certified practitioners! You can also self-evaluate with our free addiction assessment quiz and discuss with us!