Meth use during pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm labor, a baby being born underweight, high blood pressure, and placental abruption (the placenta peeling away from the womb) [1].
If you are pregnant and using meth, you may feel scared or ashamed. Many people feel this way, yet it’s not a reason to avoid getting help. Learn about the effects of meth use during pregnancy, what to expect from treatment and what steps toward recovery you can take today.
How Meth Affects Pregnancy
Meth (methamphetamine) is a stimulant drug that raises the heart rate and blood pressure, also narrowing blood vessels [1]. When a woman is pregnant, the baby receives all of the oxygen and nutrients through the placenta which is attached to the mother’s blood supply.
Methamphetamine in the mother’s blood can reach the placenta and cause the mother’s blood vessels to become narrower, too. This way, the baby will receive less oxygen and fewer nutrients.
Because many pregnant women using methamphetamines are also using other drugs, tobacco, or alcohol, studies can’t exactly usually distinguish the effects of methamphetamines from those of other substances [2]. But these effects are common and varied.
Risks of Meth to Your Baby
Research links meth use during pregnancy to these problems:
Preterm birth. This means being born before 37 weeks [2]. Preterm babies may have trouble breathing, eating, and staying warm — due to low body fat.
Low weight at birth. Usually defined under five pounds, eight ounces [2].
Smaller head size. Doctors measure head size at birth to track how a baby has grown [1].
Being small for gestational age. Gestational age is how far along the pregnancy is. A baby who is “small for gestational age” is smaller than expected, even when born on time. Babies exposed to meth were 3.5 times more likely to be small for gestational age [3].
Symptoms after birth. Babies affected by meth in the later period of pregnancy may experience disrupted sleep, have trouble eating or breathing, and have muscles that are too floppy or too tight. Some of these symptoms may persist for months, and the newborns may need additional medical care [2].
Behavior patterns. Studies suggest children exposed to meth before birth may have a higher chance of problems with attention, movement, learning, and self-control [1].
Risks to You
Pregnant women using meth also risk their own health and well-being.
Preeclampsia: Meth use can cause expectant mothers to develop a high blood pressure, preeclampsia. It is damaging to the expectant mother’s organs and can result in an early delivery of the baby and other complications [2].
Placental abruption: The placenta can peel away from the uterus before birth, often resulting in severe bleeding and oxygen deprivation for the baby.
Heart problems and strokes. Meth use can cause a rapid or irregular heartbeat and lead to a stroke [1].
Depression, anxiety, paranoia, and insomnia. In the long term, methamphetamine use can lead to serious mental health problems and produce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and lack of sleep [1].
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience symptoms such as chest pain, severe headache, vaginal bleeding, or abdominal pain.
Is Smoking Meth While Pregnant Less Harmful?
No. Meth can be smoked, snorted, swallowed, or injected [2]. Every one of these ways sends the drug into your bloodstream, and from there it reaches your baby. Smoking meth gets the drug into your blood very fast. Injecting it adds the risk of infections, like HIV and hepatitis, from shared needles.
Pregnancy problems are more likely when meth is used throughout pregnancy or in high amounts [2]. Doctors advise stopping as early as you can, with medical support [5].
Addiction Treatment During Pregnancy
Treatment for meth use during pregnancy is built around you and your baby. Your treatment team and your OB work together.
Assessment. An evaluation provides a bigger picture of your physical and mental health, substance use status, and the flow of your pregnancy.
Withdrawal with medical support. Once you stop using meth, your body and brain go into a withdrawal process. It brings anxiety, low mood, weariness, trouble sleeping, and strong cravings for the drug. Withdrawal may cause problems requiring immediate assistance, including depression and suicidal thoughts [5]. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call the 988 lifeline and ask for help right away. Some symptoms may remain for months, and a medical team can help monitor and treat them [4].
Therapy as the core of treatment. Meth addiction has no FDA-approved medication treatment [5]. Talk-based therapy is the mainstay of treatment including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps women understand the thoughts, behaviors, and habits that lead to drug use — and practice new, healthier ways of coping with patterns and situations.
Trauma-informed care. Many women with a substance use disorder have experienced some form of abuse or violence in the family. Clinical teams understand how trauma affects health and behavior. The clinicians work with you to develop a treatment plan that takes into account your experiences of trauma and helps you feel safe throughout your treatment.
Mental health treatment. Many people who use meth also have depression, anxiety, or PTSD [4]. These are called co-occurring disorders, meaning they happen at the same time as addiction.
Talk to your OB. Whatever medication you have been taking for mood swings, sleep disruption, anxiety, or pain — consult with your OB before you make any changes. Stopping some medicines abruptly can harm you. Include your OB and treatment team in these choices.
Can Mother and Baby Stay Together in Treatment?
The short answer is yes.
Casa Flores is a specialized program of the Hanley Center designed for women who are pregnant and struggling with substance use. The residential nature of the program means women live at the Hanley Center while receiving medical, clinical, and therapeutic care in addition to prenatal care from an OB-GYN and pediatrician from local hospitals and Palm Beach County offices.
You and your newborn can continue to reside at Casa Flores in a mother-baby suite and receive ongoing treatment as well as support and guidance in parenting. Casa Flores is designed to keep mothers and their babies together and lower the need for foster care whenever possible and appropriate.
If you are not pregnant but need care, Hanley Center’s women’s residential treatment program offers trauma-informed care for substance use and mental health. You can also learn more about meth addiction treatment.
Will My Baby Be Taken Away If I Ask for Help?
Seeking help and abuse reports are not the same. Reporting drug affected newborns under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) as required by hospitals is different from reporting for suspected child abuse or neglect under federal and state guidance.
The law requires a Plan of Safe Care, which is a plan to meet the needs of both your baby and your family, including treatment for you [6]. The rules are different from state to state, and no one can ever guarantee the outcome of a child welfare case.
Part of the case is the treatment of the mother. At Casa Flores, we have case managers that assist moms through the case plan process, and our goal is to keep the family together. If you have legal questions, it is always best to consult with an attorney.
What Matters Most
- Using meth during pregnancy can cause preterm labor and birth, low birth weight, high blood pressure in the new mom, and placental abruption.
- Smoking meth is not safer than other forms of meth use. The risk to the baby increases with the amount of the drug and the length of using.
- Stopping may cause severe depression, but this can be treated with clinical support. Tell your OB if you are changing or stopping any medicines.
- Asking for help does not result in an abuse report. At Casa Flores, mothers live with their newborn babies while they continue treatment.
Residential Treatment for Pregnant Women at Hanley Center
Casa Flores at Hanley Center is a residential program for pregnant women and their newborns. Hanley Center’s admissions team are available 24/7. We can answer any questions you may have and inform you of what to expect. We can also verify out-of-network benefits and payment options. Contact us any time at (561) 841-1033.
Sources
[1] National Institute on Drug Abuse. n.d. What Are the Risks of Methamphetamine Misuse During Pregnancy?. NIDA Methamphetamine Research Report.
[2] MotherToBaby. 2026, May 1. Methamphetamine. Organization of Teratology Information Specialists.
[3] Smith, L. M., et al. 2006, Sep. The Infant Development, Environment, and Lifestyle Study: Effects of Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure, Polydrug Exposure, and Poverty on Intrauterine Growth. Pediatrics, 118(3), 1149-1156.
[4] American Society of Addiction Medicine and American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry. 2023. The ASAM/AAAP Clinical Practice Guideline on the Management of Stimulant Use Disorder. American Society of Addiction Medicine.
[5] New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute. n.d. Treatment of Substance Use (Including Alcohol and Tobacco) During Pregnancy. Clinical Guidelines Program, National Library of Medicine Bookshelf.
[6] Administration for Children and Families. 2017. Program Instruction ACYF-CB-PI-17-02: Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act as Amended by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
