Baby's Father Does Drugs
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I just found out that my boyfriend (the baby's father) takes drugs in his system. He takes cocaine.
I want to know if that will affect my baby by my pregnancy, and how?
ANSWER
I'm not sure I know. The only ways I can think it would was if the cocaine damaged the sperm that got you pregnant (unlikely), or you were around when he was snorting and you inhaled some yourself.
The bigger point is that it will definitely affect your baby to have an addicted father. You might consider changing him to just a "sperm donor" until he has been totally clean (no slips) for at least six months; your baby does not need this stuff in his/her life, and you are the one who will need to protect the baby.
-- Cynthia, CNM. PhD.
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Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, teaches in the College of Nursing at Seattle University and is President of the American Association of Birth Centers. She also practices midwifery at Valley Medical Center where she cares for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
Cynthia hosts a monthly "Ask the midwife" chat as well as answers questions via our expert section.
Listen to Cynthia live on Pregnancy.org Live: Before, During and After.
