studies show that using drugs -- legal or illegal -- during pregnancy has a direct impact on the fetus. if you smoke drink alcohol ingest caffeine use grass crystal meth or cocaine so does the fetus. the consequences of using cocaine for example include heart attacks respiratory failure strokes and seizures -- a threat to the health of the mother and her unborn baby. taking drugs during pregnancy also increases the chance of birth defects premature babies underweight babies and stillborn births. exposure to drugs such as marijuana and alcohol before birth has been shown to cause behavior problems in early childhood. these drugs can also affect the child's memory and attentiveness. in addition some findings show that babies born to women who use cocaine alcohol or tobacco when they are pregnant may have brain structure changes that persist into early adolescence. according to the national institute on drug abuse exposure to cocaine in the womb can lead to deficits that usually show up in areas such as cognitive performance information-processing and attention to tasks.
why are pregnant women warned not to use drugs?