Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence Babies exposed to street drugs in utero often have abnormalities in their development, such as low birth weight or premature delivery. It should be a priority to provide referrals to resources dedicated to helping women with these addictions. These women suffer a great deal, as do their babies. Battered women are at risk of poor weight gain, infections, bleeding, anemia and of course, substance abuse during pregnancy. The babies born to these women are more likely to be underweight and premature.
Help is available to women with substance use and domestic violence problems.
My overall comment on HIV and pregnancy is very simple. But stay educated and informed on all medications available to you, including statistical information on each drug and try to have frequent discussions with your doctor. Back to the Women Alive Winter 2000 Contents Page . This article was provided by Women Alive .