Effects of Alcohol and Drug Use During Pregnancy There are many teratogenic agents that have been studied for many years on how they affect unborn babies and how it affects them later in life as GOOD. Alcohol, drugs, over-the-counter medicines and cigarettes are all listed as teratogens, which are some form of external agent that affects the baby and are usually not too easy to detect sometimes. Even though all this science-based research on how to avoid these products during pregnancy is available to every woman, there are those who still choose to use these teratogens during pregnancy. My husband and I just found out we are expecting our first child and that comes with a lot of responsibility, including your 9 month pregnancy experience. We went to our first OB/GYN appointment not knowing what to expect or what to ask. He gave me a list of foods to avoid and also past health problems. At the end they give you a packet of information about courses, articles, breastfeeding services, hospital information, etc. In this guide they also give you resources for those pregnant women who are struggling with drug, smoking and alcohol addiction and numbers to contact services to help them with this; which is great. I would love to be able to open everyone's eyes to this issue we face on a daily basis and explain how women who use drugs and alcohol during pregnancy are putting their baby's life and well-being at risk. My goal is to help provide appropriate information to those who seem to think that alcohol and drug use during pregnancy is ok. Most women think that over-the-counter medications are safe to take as they do not require a prescription, that being said “mor...... middle of paper...... continuing to smoke cigarettes and the most recognized is low birth weight. It can also contribute to miscarriage, cancer, and weakened heart rate; these are just some of the factors that affect the health of the child. Illegal drug use has a low percentage of women using them during pregnancy, and most of these women are in a lower socioeconomic status. Marijuana is a widely used drug throughout the United States. There are approximately 20 states that have legalized the use of medical marijuana and only 2 states have passed a law for the recreational use of marijuana. It is becoming more and more popular nowadays and is an easily accessible drug. Marijuana also has effects on the fetus, much like tobacco use causes low birth weight but is also linked to small head size which can lead to poor cognitive development and motor difficulties..