Effects of Drugs and Alcohol on Babies

Cigarette smoking increases the risk for infertility, preterm delivery, stillbirth, low birth weight, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Harmful chemicals from cigarettes get into the baby's bloodstream. This causes the baby to receive less oxygen. Babies without enough oxygen grow more slowly and do not gain enough weight while in the womb.
Secondhand smoke can hurt too. Regular exposure to secondhand smoke can have the same effects as if the mother is smoking: reduced growth and low birth weight.

NO level of alcohol consumption is safe while pregnant. This includes all types of alcohol (wine, beer, wine coolers and hard liquor).
Expecting mothers who drink are at a higher risk for miscarriage.
Alcohol passes directly into a baby's bloodstream from their pregnant mother.
Babies whose mothers drink while pregnant are at a high risk for birth defects, called Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. These birth defects can be mental, physical or both.
Babies born to mothers who drank while pregnant may also have heart defects and growth problems.
After the baby is born, moms who breastfeed should not drink alcohol. The alcohol will be passed through your milk to your baby and cause harm.

Drugs taken by an expecting mother can hurt the baby. This includes illegal street drugs as well as over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Talk to your doctor before taking any new medications while pregnant. Also check to see if you should stop taking any prescriptions or over the counter meds you already take, due to your pregnancy.
Like smoking cigarettes, marijuana reduces the oxygen your baby receives. Babies whose mothers use marijuana are more likely to be born with a low birth weight. Marijuana also causes babies to cry more than normal. Learning problems often occur in babies born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy.
Ecstasy, meth, crank and speed cause babies to be born with the shakes and trouble breathing.
Heroin causes babies to be born earlier than they should. Babies born to heroin-using moms can die before or during labor. Severe behavior problems are typical in babies born addicted to heroin.
Cocaine and crack cause miscarriages and brain damage. Cocaine or "crack" babies often have severe emotional and/or learning problems throughout their lives.
All drugs used by pregnant mothers can cause babies to go into "withdrawal" once they are born. Withdrawal is very difficult for grown adult drug users. For a baby's small body, the shakes and breathing issues experienced during withdrawal can be even more serious and painful.