Conversation: The conversation between human and AI assistant.
[|Human|] hi i am 34 years old my fiancee is 33 we had a son in 1999 he is 11 now but i have been on methadone since 2002 before i was addicted to lortab our son was born 3 months premature and had cleft lip and palate i am nervous about having another kid since i am on methadone does methadone cause problems like birth defects if the man is takin it
[|AI|]  Hello, Risk of birth defects is always there in men & women taking methadone or opioids during the reproductive stage.  The risk gets higher when women take it. Both the partners should avoid any kind of addictions if they are planning for a baby. It is important to maintain the quality of the sperm & egg for a healthy conception. Congenital birth defects may be irreversible & a challenge for the baby. Birth defects like cleft palate, oral clefts, atrial or ventricular septal defects, club foot, premature birth, low birth weight, miscarriage have been reported in research studies. If your son has cleft lip or palate let him be examined, it can be made better by surgery.  If you are planning for a second bay, both the partners should stay away from addictions if any.  Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care Chat Doctor.