Drug

Prescription Medication Risk Level
Category A- controlled studies show no risk or
evidence of harm.
Belz, Kate. “Drug Debate: Will Punishing Women
Who Take Drugs While Pregnant Help, Hurt or
Both?” Timesfreepress.com, 28 Apr. 2014,

Abuse
www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2014/ap
Category B- animal studies show no risk, but no r/28/drug-debate-will-punishing-women-who-take-
drugs-wh/138522/.

during
controlled studies on pregnant women.
Abusing Illegal Drugs in Pregnancy,
Category C- animal studies have shown risk, but
www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/abusing-illegal-

no controlled studies in women or studies on
women and animal are not available.
Category D- positive evidence of potential fetal
risk, but maybe acceptable despite the risk to
the mother life.
Category X- studies on animal or humans have
shown fetal abnormalities or there is evidence
of fetal risk.
Pregnancy
drugs-during-pregnancy.html.
“Drug Use During Pregnancy.” Drug Abuse During
Pregnancy, The effects of using illegal
www.treatment4addiction.com/addiction/drug/preg drugs, prescription drugs, and
nancy/. other harmful substances
Shaneice, Miss. “Don't Do Drugs While You're during pregnancy.
Pregnant. [PRANK].” YouTube, YouTube, 6 Oct. 2012,
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxQ5d8g3ggQ.

“Using Illegal Drugs During Pregnancy.” American

Drugs and the possible effects Pregnancy Association, 1 Feb. 2018,
https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-
Marijuana Cocaine Heroin
health/illegal-drugs-during-pregnancy/.
Miscarriages
“Smoking During Pregnancy.” American Pregnancy
Low Birth Association, 12 Apr. 2017,
Weight https://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-
Premature health/smoking-during-pregnancy/.
birth
Develop-
mental delays
Behavioral &
learning
problems
Placental
abruption
Fetal death

Breathing
difficulties
Low blood
sugar
Bleeding
within brain
How illegal drugs
effects the baby?
Illegal drugs are very harmful to a
fetus during development. The drugs
that enter the mother’s system, also
enters the babies. Pregnancy is a
crucial time where the baby grows
and when illegal drugs are used it
interfere with their growth.
Drugs like marijuana cocaine and
heroin and some of the most
common drugs used during
pregnancy. Some effects drugs have
are miscarriages, low birth weight,
premature birth, behavioral and
learning problems, placental
abruption, fetal death, breathing
difficulties, developmental delays, low
blood sugar, and bleeding within
brain.
How prescription drugs
effect the baby?
Prescription drugs can also be very
harmful to an unborn baby. Not all
prescription medications are harmful,
although you should be careful of
what you take and ask your doctor
about the medication that are safe or
not safe.
Some prescription drugs cause the
uterus to contract which causes blood
flow to the baby, which may cause
preterm labor, and can interfere with
fetal development that can cause
birth defects or fetal death. Other
prescriptions interfere with the
function of the placenta, causing
deficiency with supplies oxygen and
nutrients to the baby resulting in
underdevelopment and the baby
being underweight.
What else is harmful to
the baby?
Illegal and prescription drugs can be
harmful to a baby, but what about the
things that aren’t drugs nor illegal?
Things like drinking alcohol and
smoking cigarettes are also very
harmful to the baby during
pregnancy.
Alcohol can cause some very serious
damage to the baby from physical
abnormalities to mental challenges
and fetal alcohol syndrome. Smoking
cigarettes while pregnant gives not
only you but your baby poisons like
nicotine, lead, arsenic, and carbon
monoxide. This effects your baby by
not getting to proper nutrients and
oxygen supply.