Heroin – Opiates, H, Horse, Smack

Effect during Pregnancy:

A pregnant woman who uses heroin should not attempt to suddenly stop taking the drug. This can put her baby at increased risk of miscarriage or premature birth. She should consult a doctor or drug treatment center about treatment with a drug called methadone.

Although infants born to mothers taking methadone also may show some signs of dependence on the drug, they can be safely treated in the nursery and generally do far better than babies born to women who continue to use heroin.The outlook for these children depends on a number of factors, including whether they suffered serious prematurity-related complications

Effects on the Infant:

Babies exposed to heroin before birth face a ten-fold increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Some studies suggest that children exposed to heroin before birth are at increased risk of low IQ (in the mentally retarded range) and of serious behavioral problems.

However, socioeconomic factors also may play an important role in a child’s outlook. One study found that heroin-exposed children who were adopted soon after birth were no more likely to have developmental delays than unexposed children, though exposed children who were raised by their biological parents were at increased risk. Most babies of heroin users suffer from withdrawal symptoms after birth, including:

• fever
• sneezing
• trembling
• irritability
• diarrhea
• vomiting
• continual crying
• seizures (occasionally)