Stimulants-Speed, cocaine, ecstasy
Tranquillisers and benzodiazepines
Heroin and methadone
LSD (hallucinogens)
GHB and PCP
Solvents and glue sniffing
Australian Drug and Information Service (ADIS)
There are many substances (both legal and illegal) that people will take for occasional recreational use, or because they have an addiction. These substances may range from stimulants such (known as 'amphetamines'), to tranquillisers (or 'benzodiazepines'), to LSD (or 'hallucinogens'), cocaine or heroin. Each type of drug will have their own individual health effects, but many drug users will combine their drug use (known as 'polydrug use') and/or smoke
cigarettes or drink
alcohol. Illegal drug sellers will also frequently mix other substances with them, having unknown harmful effects. In reality, it is often hard to tell what a street drug actually contains.
The way a drug is taken can also have health effects. Snorting powders through the nose can lead to nosebleeds, sinus problems and damage to the nose lining. Injecting drugs increases the risks of blood infections, blood clots and contracting viruses such as
hepatitis B, hepatitis C and
HIV-AIDS . Recreational drug use is also associated with not eating as well, having a lowered immune system to fight off illnesses and mood changes (such as depression).
Because of the many complex factors associated with illegal drug use, it is difficult to pinpoint their individual affects on conception, pregnancy and newborn babies who breastfeed. Research into these areas is difficult, and no one is likely to set up a study to 'test' what can go wrong, for obvious reasons.
It will probably come as no surprise that the general recommendation for couples trying to conceive a baby and for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, is to not take any of these types of drugs. However, not all pregnancies are planned, and addictions are often difficult to give up.