Will My Baby Be Taken at Birth for My Addiction During Pregnancy?

Do All Drugs Affect Unborn Babies the Same Way?

When women use drugs during pregnancy, they go directly into the shared bloodstream between mother and unborn baby. So if the mother is dependent, there’s a high possibility that the unborn baby becomes dependent on the drugs the mother is using.

However, different drugs have different effects and consequences on the unborn baby’s health.

Which Drugs Are the Worst for Unborn Babies?

Each type of drug presents it’s own unique risks and potential side effects to unborn babies.

Opioids

Heroin, fentanyl, and other opiates can cause severe withdrawal in the baby. However, the magnitude of opiate withdrawal symptoms is dependent on the amount of drug the most is regularly consuming.

Symptoms can last for weeks; these babies are also at a higher risk for apnea, where they stop breathing.

Stimulants

Drugs such as Adderall and other stimulants are direct causes of miscarriage and preterm birth. In addition, the newborns exposed to these drugs during pregnancy often exhibit withdrawal, jitteriness, trouble feeding, and trouble sleeping.

Meth

Moreover, meth use while pregnant is very concerning and scary because meth is challenging to stop using. Mothers concerned if their baby will be taken away for meth use need to seek help immediately.

Later in life, these babies can also suffer from tremors and muscle tone complications. In addition, these babies are also at higher risk of dying from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Cocaine

Cocaine use during pregnancy can lead to possible miscarriage, preterm birth, premature detachment of the placenta, high blood pressure, and stillbirth. In addition, these newborns exposed to cocaine are also likely to be born at low birth weight, and the risk for SIDS increases substantially.

In addition, the effects of cocaine on the baby may include slow growth, hyperactivity, behavioral problems, and learning (developmental) problems.

Is There Any Help for Addiction During Pregnancy?

If women can seek medical help and detox, if necessary, in her first trimester, she dramatically increase her chances of having a healthy baby.

If a pregnant woman is addicted to opioids, it is usually recommended for her to go on Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), where she may receive regular doses of methadone or suboxone.

If. you’re wondering if they’ll take your baby away from you for heroin use, the answer is that it’s possible, and the chances are high, because of the potential damage that it can cause your baby. 

What Do I Do if My Baby Tests Positive for Drugs at the Hospital?

Despite the joyous event of a newborn, it might feel like it’s the end of the world if a baby is born with drugs in their system. 

However, when confronted by hospital staff or social workers, how the mother behaves will affect how the situation will go.

For drugs like marijuana, many states do not call child protective services. 

However, for other illicit or non-prescribed drugs, the hospital medical providers will report the mother to the state child protective services agency (CPS). 

Drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl are always reported to CPS.

Once a baby tests positive, the best step to take is to be honest. A mother must show willingness that she is open to getting help. 

A child born with drugs in their system is a big deal, but mothers who are honest with their medical providers and social workers can get support they need to stop using and to keep their child out of the arms of the state.

What Do I Do if a Social Worker Shows Up at the Hospital?

The thought of a social worker approaching you after giving birth is scary. However, a social worker should be treated with respect.

If you’ve tested positive, it’s best to take responsibility. When you take responsibility the social worker will likely provide you with options to get addiction treatment so that you can keep custody of your new baby and in some cases, other children.

Child protective service’s number one goal is reunification and normally, parents are given a chance to raise the child unless they have an ongoing history of child neglect, abuse, or drug use.

In an ideal world, the caseworker assigned to a mother’s case is not an enemy but an ally. Their job is to do what is possible to help the mother become healthy to provide a safe and loving home for their child.

That is not to say that you shouldn’t act wisely when it comes to dealing with your case worker. Document every interaction that you’ve had with your caseworker including date and time.