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Drugs
and Sexual Health
Drugs and Sex
Drugs
and Pregnancy
Drug
abuse and Hepititis B
Drug Abuse, HIV and Aids
Drugs
and Sex
If you
are drunk or high you can't make good decisions particularly about sex.
Pregnancies happen more often to girls who are not careful. If it happens
to you, you've got a serious situation on your hands. Don't do something
you might not remember or might regret.
Drugs
and Pregnancy
The expectant
mother needs good medical care for herself while she's pregnant. This
helps to keep the mother and baby healthy. Drug use in pregnancy can increase
the chance of having problems during or with the newborn child. This depends
on what drug is being used and how much/how often. For pregnant drug users
in general, irrespective of the drug used, and especially where poor social
conditions prevail there are some real risks.
Alcohol and Pregnancy
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
(FAS) occurs due to the expectant mother drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
Features of FAS include: Prenatal (before birth) or postnatal growth deficiency
Abnormal facial features Central nervous system deficits (mental retardation,
low Intelligence) About one fifth of all babies who are affected by FAS
die within the first few weeks of life. A baby with FAS may have some
or all of the following features:
Abnormally short
Small eyes
Small jaw
Small brain
Cleft palate
Heart defects
Dislocated hip and other joint problems.
Poor sleep patterns and irritability due to alcohol withdrawal
Opioids
and Pregnancy
Opioids dependent women are likely to experience complication during pregnancy.
Among the there most common medical problems anaemia, cardiac disease,
diabetes, pneumonia, and hepatitis. They also have an abnormally high
rate of spontaneous abortion, breech delivery, caesarean section and premature
birth. Infants born to heroin dependant mothers are smaller than average
and frequently show evidence of acute infection. Most exhibit withdrawal
symptoms of varying degrees and duration. The mortality rate among these
infants is higher that normal.
Marijuana
and Pregnancy
Some research studies suggest that the use of marijuana during pregnancy
may result in premature babies and low birth weights. Studies on men and
women have shown a temporary loss of fertility. These findings suggest
that marijuana may be especially harmful during adolescents, a period
of rapid physical and sexual development.
Sedatives
and Pregnancy
Babies born to mothers who misuse sedatives during their pregnancy may
be physically dependent on the drugs and show withdrawal symptoms shortly
after they are born. These symptoms may include, breathing problems, feeding
difficulties, disturbed sleep, sweating, irritability and fever.
Caffeine
and Pregnancy
Caffeine certainly has the ability to cause a variety of reproductive
effects in animals, including congenital abnormalities and reproductive
failures, reduced fertility, prematurity, and low birth weight. What is
unknown is whether these findings are relevant to the use of ordinary
amounts of caffeine by pregnant women.
Hallucinogens
and Pregnancy
LSD use by pregnant women appears to be associated with an increased risk
of spontaneous abortion. Research also suggests it may be linked to a
higher incidence to congenital abnormalities among their babies.
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Drug
abuse and Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is an acute illness caused by a virus and resulting
in an inflamation of the liver. The virus is spread via blood, saliva,
body excretions, by sexual contact and through shared needles and syringes.
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Drug
Abuse, HIV and AIDS
The sharing of needles and syrines also increases the risk of HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection and the development of AIDS (Aquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome). HIV attacks the body's immune system and
by damaging or destroying the body's ability to various infections and
disease, makes an individual vulnerable to various infections and forms
of cancer which are invariably fatal.
• HIV infection
is spread by:
•
Sharing injection needles with an infected person or
•
Through heterosexual or homosexual intercourse with an infected
person. Contraception therefore
is essential.
•
From an infected mother to her baby or
•
Through the use of blood and blood products from an infected person.
Intravenous
drug abuse is a particularly high risk activity because the virus can
be transmitted through infected needles, syringes, bowls or containers
used to dissolve drugs and other injection.
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