The drugs can impair the development of a baby, and can cause complications during pregnancy. Some medications can cause nutritional deficiencies, anemia and retarded fetal growth. The use of drugs during pregnancy may also increase the risk of developing toxemia or pre-eclampsia. Cannabis use during pregnancy can cause attention deficits, memory problems and impaired decision making skills. These problems generally do not appear until the age of 3. The use of amphetamines is associated with increased cardiovascular anomalies in infants. use barbiturates during pregnancy may be linked to birth defects, withdrawals, poor feeding, and convulsions. Opioids are associated with abnormalities and complications during pregnancy. There is a high risk for preterm labor, delay in intrauterine growth and pre-eclampsia in women who use opioids during pregnancy. Cocaine use by the mother may be an increased risk of miscarriage. Babies born to mothers who used cocaine during pregnancy may have lower IQ scores and mental disabilities. syndrome SIDS is more common in babies born to mothers who used cocaine. The use of PCP during pregnancy would cause abnormal development in babies. It can cause the mother to have a mental illness and losing touch with reality. If you smoke cigarettes, and are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you should really consider stopping smoking. When you inhale tobacco smoke you are inhaling substances that are harmful to you and your growing baby. These substances include nicotine, carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide, tars, resins and other cancers of pathogens. These harmful chemicals are passed through the placenta to the baby when it is inhaled by the mother to be. Smoking has a number of adverse effects on babies, like, a low birth weight, lower IQ scores, reading disorders and hyperactivity. Smoking has also been known to interfere with the absorption of the Child B and C vitamins and folic acid, which are important for growth and development of the baby. There is a risk of developing placental abruption during pregnancy increases to 25% in women who are moderate smokers, and 65% among women who smoke heavily. Smoking during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, the baby died while still in the mother, or shortly after birth. The risk of placenta previa is 25% more likely to occur among women who smoke moderately, and 90% more likely among women who smoke heavily. The consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is not a good idea. There are very serious risks involved with drinking alcohol and pregnancy. Even a small amount of alcohol may increase the risk of miscarriage. Large amounts of alcohol can cause abnormalities of the baby. chronic alcohol consumption can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, FAS, which is when the fetus develops abnormally. Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to growth retardation before and after the birth of the child. This may mean congenital heart and limbs and unusual facial features. Children born with FAS can also have behavioral problems, speech difficulties, and impaired muscle and joint use. Abnormalities in babies have been associated with as few as two drinks per day. It is best to avoid alcohol completely, so that you do not put your baby at risk of having fetal alcohol syndrome. Some nonprescription medicines that contain alcohol cold, so make sure to read labels before using any medication. Not only does the mother need to avoid alcohol, but it’s also a good idea for the father not to drink too. Research suggests that large quantities of alcohol consumed by the father may cause the baby to be born with FAS. The consumption of alcohol by father was also known to cause a delay of intrauterine growth. Not only drugs can have adverse effects on babies, but legal drugs and medications can have adverse effects on babies. You must stop all use of medications until you discuss drugs with your doctor whether they are safe during pregnancy. The best way to prevent one of these adverse effects on your baby is to stop all drug use before and during pregnancy. The next time you consider doing the “high”, a drink or lighting up, think about how he would feel if your baby is born with abnormalities, and you single-handedly could have prevented these difficult for your baby.