Cigarette, Alcohol and Drug Use Rising Among Pregnant Women

Study shows pregnant mothers are craving more than just food

This explains a lot.

A new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that cigarette, alcohol and drug use among pregnant women is rising.

They found that 22% of white women smoke cigarettes while with child, while Black and Hispanic women come in at 14.2 percent and 6.5 percent respectively (for lack of a better word).

As far as drug use is concerned, the study says 7.7% of pregnant black women admitted to getting high while carrying a baby. And 4.4% of pregnant white women and 3.1% of pregnant Hispanic women, also admitted to taking drugs.

[ALSO READ: Black Women Considering At-Home Births?]

Both Black and White pregnant women had pretty high rates of drinking while pregnant, coming in almost equal at 13% each. The Hispanic women again had the lowest rate.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell this isn't good. But just in case you wanted to hear some science, activities like these can lead to pregnancy complications, premature birth, low-birth weight infants, stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), miscarriage, stillbirth, and a range of lifelong disorders and problems with the placenta, which delivers food and oxygen to the fetus.

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