Recent studies have established that not only has Methamphetamine abuse increased recently in pregnant women, but the babies born to meth users have a very high chance of health complications. Mothers using methamphetamine can suffer from high blood pressure that has severe and life-threatening implications for the fetus. Drug abuse has also been found to lead to premature births in as much as 50% of the cases. In addition, the percentage of mothers having to go for a cesarean birth is also high in the case of mothers using methamphetamine. The health test of babies born to mothers using methamphetamine is way lower than those born to non-users.
Studies have further established that neonatal mortality is also higher in the case of mothers who use methamphetamine. Pregnant females who are patients of Methamphetamine Dependency show a significant difference from pregnant females who are non-users. It has been found that most mothers maintain a lesser percentage of prenatal appointments. Women who are methamphetamine abusers have a higher chance of experiencing domestic violence as compared to those not using the drug.
Methamphetamine Dependency has another implication for pregnant females. There is a significantly lower percentage of married mothers in the case of methamphetamine abusers. Most of the mothers who use methamphetamine are older and unemployed, and they abuse other substances. And another adverse effect of Methamphetamine abuse in Canada is that many mothers using this drug are prone to losing custody of their babies, placing them in foster care or other adoption services.
Identifying pregnant women who are methamphetamine users can help doctors to avoid morbid neonatal and maternal outcomes. A physician can find patients of Methamphetamine abuse through signs like skin sores, low weight, and meth mouth. Meth presence can also be determined by screening for toxicity. However, this method is viable only if the mother has used the drug in the last 36 hours. It becomes essential for doctors to detect Methamphetamine Dependency in pregnant women early on because the neonatal effects of the substance are permanent and dangerous, and the worse thing is that they cannot be reversed.
Using these signs and indications, doctors can find out the cases of Methamphetamine Dependency in pregnant women in time so that they can apply strategies for intervention before pregnancy. Since the effects of methamphetamine abuse can be highly damaging to babies, it is necessary to take a timely medical intervention to avoid the effects.
