Drug Treatment and Pregnancy

The Importance of Drug Treatment During Pregnancy

When it comes to the case of pregnancy, most people working in the drug treatment field are willing to suspend the belief that treatment should only be offered to those who acknowledge that they have a problem. In the case of most addicts, drug rehab is only considered worthwhile if the addict at least admits that their behavior needs to change. For pregnant women, however, the risks to the woman and the unborn child are so great that drug treatment is recommended as a means of protecting both their health, regardless of the patient’s state of denial.

It’s an accepted truth of the recovery field that drug time spent at a drug rehab center is only likely to work in cases where the client actually wants it to work. In other words, unless a client is willing to admit that he or she has a problem controlling their intake of drugs, and genuinely wants to stop, then they are unlikely to get much benefit from their drug rehab experience.

At The Orchid Treatment Center for Women, we have found that not only are they unlikely to benefit from drug treatment, but also they are likely to interfere with the treatment of others in the program and will waste the time and energy of the recovery professionals. For that reason, The Orchid works closely with the patient and their family members to create that sense of need and urgency in the addict before the program begins. It is good for those seeking help from The Orchid, as well as her former patients.

Pregnancy and Emergency Drug Treatment

The importance of drug treatment for women cuts across many different psychological and physical components. In the case of pregnancy, however, drug treatment is recommended even if the addicted woman does not believe that she has a problem and does not particularly want to get sober. In these cases, the health of the mother and the baby is worth protecting by simply keeping the woman away from drugs for as long as possible and hoping to make some sort of breakthrough during the treatment itself.

For unborn babies, the ingestion of drugs and alcohol presents a serious health risk. Drug use by the mother can result in a whole range of pregnancy problems including miscarriages, stillbirths, low birth weight and premature birth. Birth defects which can result from drug and alcohol use include heart problems, lung complications, brain abnormalities, nervous system disorders, and deformations of the face and skull. Intellectual and behavioral deficits can include retardation, a tendency to addiction, behavioral problems and uncontrollable emotions. What’s more, the level of drug abuse that the mother must do to cause these problems is relatively low.

Because the mother and the baby share the same blood, the drug and alcohol blood levels of the mother are shared with the baby and its developing body and brain. It has been suggested that even as little as two drinks has a substantial effect on the developing baby. For this reason, expecting mothers who are using drugs should be encouraged to enter drug addiction treatment program as soon as possible and remain in treatment until the baby has been born. The Orchid provides a safe haven for these women, helping them stay clean and avoid stress during the crucial months of a child’s pre-natal development.

Due to their gender-specific treatment program, The Orchid is well-equipped to help pregnant women overcome their drug addiction and protect their long-term health and the well-being of their unborn child. For more information, contact The Orchid Recovery Center for Women today.