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Copyright © 1997 by ParentsPlace.com
Last modified: May 26, 1997
When a pregnant woman smokes, whether it is marijuana or not, substances enter the blood stream of the fetus through the placenta, just as if the fetus were smoking. The effects of marijuana, just like the effects of any substance, can be very different for each individual. Your granddaughters infant will be a unique individual, different from the babies of her friends, so there is no way for her to know, beyond all doubt, whether her child will be unaffected by her smoking.Some types of physical or neurological damage that occur during pregnancy do not show up in newborns, but show up later when the child is a toddler or elementary school student. Some young mothers may not have any problems with their babies now, but may or may not have some later.
As to the drinking, it really depends on what a mother-to-be drinks, how much she drinks, and on how this affects the uniquely individual fetus that will be her infant. Drinking alcohol can be dangerous, and in many cases it causes FAS, or fetal alcohol syndrome, one of the leading causes of mental retardation and birth defects.
FAS babies are often prone to convulsions, poor bone growth, heart conditions, or hyperactivity. Mental retardation caused by FAS may not be detected for months or even years after birth, and it can cause borderline to severe learning disabilities.
Part of the problem is that the pregnant mother who drinks can excrete most of her alcohol, but the fetus cannot. The alcohol enters the fetal bloodstream through the placenta and reduces the oxygen supply to the brain and nervous system. Then it just stays in the amniotic fluid.
Unfortunately, even though drinking during pregnancy can cause lifelong problems for the child and the parents, many pregnant women seem unaware of the danger.
Ms. Petersen's nationally syndicated parenting column is carried in over 200 newspapers twice each week. As a family/parenting consultant, early childhood educator, Head Start consultant, and host of a series of parent training audio and video tapes, Ms. Petersen employs an approach of providing hands-on, nuts and bolts advice to parents across the country. Her new book "A Practical Guide to Early Childhood Planning: The What Why and How of Lesson Plans" has just been released.