Alicia Keyes craved root-beer floats while pregnant with her second child, Genesis; Victoria Beckham was marmalade-crazed while carrying daughter Harper; and Blake Lively had to have pumpkin ice cream when expecting Ines. As cravings go, they're not good nutrition choices.
But it could be far worse. For an ever-increasing number of pregnant women, cravings are for opioids such as heroin and the prescription painkillers fentanyl, oxycodone and hydrocodone. According to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, drug use among pregnant women in the U.S. has increased dramatically. And about 21,000 pregnant women ages 15 to 44 have misused opioids in the past month.
Those women are putting their fetus at risk for placental abruption, preterm labor and death. And 70 to 95 percent of those women's newborns suffer withdrawal or neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), low birthweight and respiratory complications, and they risk future brain dysfunction. According to an Australian study, by seventh grade more than a third of children with NAS fail to meet test standards in reading, writing, math, spelling and/or grammar.
Pregnant women experiencing addiction need quality pre- and postnatal care! According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine, "Pregnant women who are physically dependent on opioids should receive treatment using methadone or buprenorphine rather than withdrawal management or abstinence." The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment can help you find a doc (www.naabt.org), as can www.samhsa.gov.
This as a health issue, not a moral failing, and we should support and help these women and their babies.
Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of "The Dr. Oz Show," and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into "The Dr. Oz Show" or visit www.sharecare.com.
(c) 2017 Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.