If you take illegal drugs and/or alcohol and are pregnant, tell your midwife and maternity service as they are able to provide advice and help you to access support services.
It is safest to avoid illegal drugs and alcohol during your pregnancy. If you regularly use drugs and/or drink alcohol, it's important to tackle this now and seek medical advice.
Contact information for your local maternity service
East and North Hertfordshire (The Lister Hospital): 01438 284 124
West Essex (The Princess Alexandra Hospital): 01279 827 286
South and West Hertfordshire (Watford General Hospital): 01923 217 343
Is it safe to drink alcohol or consume illegal drugs when pregnant?
Alcohol
The Chief Medical Officer for the UK recommends that if you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant, the safest approach is not to drink alcohol at all to keep risks to your baby to a minimum. Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, with the more you drink, the greater the risk. Sometimes this can result in mental and physical problems in the baby, called fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), where the alcohol can damage the babies brain and body and stop them developing normally in the womb. Contact your midwife or GP if you are concerned about your alcohol intake.
For free helpful tips and advice for parents as well as family and friends, there are resources available through the Drymester campaign, for Hertfordshire and West Essex residents, with the aim of supporting parents-to-be go alochol free during pregnancy.
Illegal drugs
Avoid Drugs during your pregnancy as it will harm your unborn baby. If you took a drug without realising you were pregnant on a one-off occasion, try not to worry – it's unlikely to have affected your baby. But if illegal drugs are part of your life, getting help can really improve the outlook for you and your baby.
If you are a regular drug user, it's important to tackle this now you're pregnant. If you regularly use cocaine, heroin, or other similar drugs (opiates or opioids), do not stop or reduce the amount you take without speaking to a doctor first, as it is important to withdraw from these drugs in the right way to reduce the the risk of problems for you and your baby. You can get help from your midwide or GP, or you can approach your local drug treatment service yourself. Visit the Frank website to find support near you or call 0300 123 6600.
Taking drugs (including tobacco and alcohol) when you’re pregnant, even in small quantities, can put your baby’s health at serious risk. It increases the risk they’ll be stillborn or will die in the first few weeks and months of life.
These are difficult things to imagine happening but are real risks if you take drugs.
