Being pregnant is God's greatest gift, and mothers do everything they can to save and protect their babies from harm. For example, if a mom is addicted to drugs, she knows it can affect her baby and immediately seeks treatment from a Suboxone doctor. But before she begins treatment, a question may be on her mind, "Is Suboxone treatment safe?".
There is no wrong in saying that during pregnancy, anything a woman eats can affect the baby. Substances like drugs, alcohol, and sometimes even prescribed medications can harm the baby. This happens because the fetus' immune system is not developed and is very sensitive during the nine months of pregnancy.
For this reason, doctors have prescribed that pregnant women not take any medication during this time until it is necessary. However, if a woman is addicted to drugs, it is better to treat her with Suboxone rather than leave her on opioids, which is more dangerous for the child and can lead to stillbirth.
Your Suboxone doctor can best explain the case; however, according to the FDA, babies of women taking Suboxone during pregnancy are at high risk for neonatal withdrawal syndrome (NAS). Neonatal withdrawal syndrome is a rare condition, but the following symptoms can characterize it.
Trembling
Excessive and acute crying
Prolonged sleepiness
Seizures
Sneezing and nasal congestion
Poor feeding
Vomiting, dehydration, etc.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), women who use opioid-based medications are at high risk of giving birth to congenital disabilities such as
Glaucoma
Congenital heart defects
Spina bifida (the baby's spinal cord did not develop properly) and others.
Because of the risk of NAS and birth defects, it is recommended that you use Suboxone as prescribed by your doctor; otherwise, you put your baby at increased risk. You can get rid of your heroin addiction, but your baby may be exposed to heroin.
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