UK: Number of Drug Addicted Mums Doubles in 5 years!
By Danell Swim
May 5, 2008
The number of babies born to drug addicted mothers has almost doubled in the last five years, it has been revealed.
Last year there were 1,970 women who were addicted to drugs at the time of the birth, compared to 1,057 back in 2003.
Of those 1,970 women with a drug dependency, 1,211 babies were born with their mother’s addiction as the habit was passed on whilst the baby was still in the womb.
It means that every day five drug addict mums give birth to a baby and of those births three babies will suffer the withdrawal symptoms of their mother’s addiction.
The symptoms associated with babies who are addicted to drugs are a loud, high-pitched crying, sweating and stomach upsets.
These babies often need specialised care in hospital before they are allowed home and on occasions are taken from their mothers and placed in care.
Last year there were 82 pregnant women addicted to alcohol, a rise from 62 the previous year, and only 22 back in 2003.
Pregnant women dependant on heroin or other opioids was up to a staggering 1,059, almost double that of the 535 in 2003.
Thirty-two women gave birth whist hooked on cocaine, 641 were addicted to tobacco and 100 pregnant women gave birth whilst dependant on cannabis.
Association of Radical Midwives spokesperson, Sarah Montague, said of the possible effects for a baby born to addiction: “It really depends on what kind of drugs the mother is addicted to.
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