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Avoid harmful substances when you are trying to get pregnant.
These harmful substances can put unborn babies at risk for birth defects:
- Alcohol
- Chemicals from smoking or vaping
- Marijuana and other drugs
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Alcohol
You should stop drinking alcohol when trying to become pregnant. And, you should not drink once you know you are pregnant. When a pregnant woman drinks alcohol, it travels through the umbilical cord to their developing baby. Because of this, alcohol use can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and disabilities for the baby after birth.
Talk with your health care provider if you need help to stop drinking alcohol.
Chemicals from smoking or vaping
There are many harmful chemicals that come from smoking or vaping. Smoking cigarettes or vaping during pregnancy can cause preterm birth, birth defects, low birth weight and infant death. Just being around other people who smoke or vape can cause serious problems, too. Avoid smoking and vaping, and being around people when they are smoking or vaping. Talk with your health care provider if you need help to quit.
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Other drugs
Using marijuana, opioids, cocaine, meth, and other drugs is harmful. These drugs can cause babies to be born early, at low birth weight, or with birth defects.
There is no “safe level” of marijuana during pregnancy. Even if marijuana is legal in your state, you should not use it during pregnancy. You should also not use it if you may become pregnant. And, you should not be near marijuana smoke that other people are smoking.
Do you use marijuana to treat a medical condition? If so, talk to your health care provider about safer options.