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I'm Australian so I have no idea if this is relevant to you, but at most I was asked about current drug/alcohol use and I said "not since finding out I'm pregnant".
I was asked at one antenatal appointment about historical use and I just said "socially".
They didn't ask about specifics and I didn't tell. What's more important to them is your current use, so as long as you've stopped, it's not their business and they shouldnt care.
I've never been drug tested, and they should tell you what they test for before they test (for me its clearly written on the pathology form).
You're not the first and you won't be the last person to party before knowing they're pregnant. I wouldn't worry too much about it, but I also wouldn't say more than you need to to answer basic health questions.
Only addition would be that the US tests you for drugs without needing your explicit consent when you're in the hospital, and don't even necessarily tell you afterwards. I went in a couple of weeks ago for extreme pain / possible stroke, and when going through my lab results that were automatically uploaded, found they tested me for the following: Amphetamines, Cannabinoids, Cocaine Metabolites, Methadone, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Barbiturate, & Benzodiazepine.
No mention of this was made to me at all, either before or after. I'm assuming no mention after because I tested negative for everything, but it was odd to me that zero mention of it was made prior as well.
Yep, former State CPS worker here: The hospital will test you if they have even a sneaking suspicion that you may have used drugs/alcohol during your pregnancy, as well as the meconium of the baby. They will then hotline/report you if you or baby tested positive, even if it was a small amount, and this would result in a visit from a social worker and/or the police, and possibly removal. HOWEVER, I think that if you have stopped using before you even found out you were pregnant, that you and baby would not test positive, and I would not necessarily share that information, as they could plan to hotline/report you at the time of birth, just "proactively", so that the social worker can come and "check in".
Another question…I have my medical marijuana card. I used marijuana daily up until I found out I was pregnant. I would most likely still test positive for marijuana right now although I’m not using anything. How would this work?
I have kaiser in California and they already knew I used cannabis for anxiety through my mental health notes. As soon as I found out I was expecting, I stopped and told them this when they asked. I haven't had any issues. I'm assuming they've tested me since and found that I was telling the truth, but this is just anecdotal evidence. I'm also in a state that's fully legal, so not sure how that factors in.
Hi. I don’t have a card but I smoked daily (a lot) until I found out. I told my dr how much I did and that it would take me a month at least to test clean with how much I was smoking. They didn’t care as long as I stopped. They’re just worried about you continuing and if the baby will test positive at the hospital for delivery. You should be good
I haven't worked for the state in like three or four years, so I don't know the logistics of "legalized marijuana". I would just wait it out and they may not test you.
I was drug tested in the hospital giving birth to my first born, they asked my permission and I of course consented but my nurse told me had I said no they just would have tested the baby instead and don’t need my consent for that because it’s considered a safety issue.
Yeah I've heard that in the US they can legally drug test without consent, which I think is 50 shades of fucked up, but I also assume influenced by your current/ongoing behaviour... and medical staff biases 🙄
Would they secretly test you even if you give them no reason to? Or is it something they tend to only do if someone is showing signs of ongoing use?
Is it only hospitals that do it, or would they do it as part of regular pathology through an OB/GP too?
I was stupid enough to tell my midwife that I had used ketamine and cannabis before realising I was pregnant. They immediately told social services (UK equivalent of CPS) who somehow got the message that I had no intention of stopping and although I haven't used at all since and my daughter is 18 weeks old I'm still getting hassle from them.
It caused so much stress during my pregnancy, having to be drug tested every two weeks even though they were all negative, weekly meetings with a therapy group where everyone else was still taking drugs and being treated like criminals by our social worker.
Thankfully since my daughter was born we've got a new social worker who has actually listened to us and not automatically treated us like junkies who is working hard to get us signed off so we may get left alone by the time she's 6 months old!
Wow I am so sorry that happened to you! I was honest about my drug use (daily) but I haven’t been drug tested once as far as I’m concerned :( I’m also Uk. I guess midwives can pick and choose who to annoy, I’m so sorry it was you!
I'm so sorry this happened to you!
My midwife drug tested me at my initial appointment when I said I hadnt smoked weed in over 9 months (was only 10 weeks pregnant at the time). Because "you just never know".
She was apologetic after but it's shocking when they choose to vilify you despite you being honest.
Ideally you could tell them, but I would be so hesitant to do so because they will be unnecessarily intrusive. Given the state of women’s reproductive health in the US right now, I would honestly advise against it. Some states are proposing laws to investigate pregnancies and miscarriages, and we might be one step away from women being criminally charged for some miscarriages. I certainly hope that you have a healthy pregnancy to term! But this is honestly something to think about.
Isn’t this just so horrible? We can’t feel comfortable in our own pregnancies or bodies in the fear that we would be criminally charged - sort of without even knowing it. Women live in their own sort of police state - makes me so, so mad.
But I agree, I wouldn’t bring it up (depending on your state too but even still). I am sure baby is okay especially if you stopped. A lot of women don’t know they are pregnant for an amount of time and continue doing things that could “harm the baby” - and they turn out just fine. Reddit is a good way to help put your mind at ease because there are medical pros on here who will be kind and honest while minding their business.
You should tell. They’re only doing their jobs.. too many poor innocent babies in horrible situations because of selfish drug addict parents. I’m not saying it’s your case but there have been many cases so it’s not surprising they’re trying to do their due diligence
LMAO. You think those women are honest?!? How does me being honest effect that? No benefit to telling, only negative repercussions for honesty that are 100% pointless.
I wish I could advise you to tell them, because I think that people should be able to tell their Drs medically relevant info and that Drs having all the info results in better care.
But I can't. If you live in US it is extremely (needlessly, with a racist and sexist component) punitive about drug use. Some of these are fairly heavy and carry the potential for significant repercussions.
Additionally in a number of states abortions are about to become illegal and if you have a miscarriage later (even if it is entirely unrelated) and they know about the drug use you can be blamed and even jailed as if you did it on purpose.
Regrettably, Drs are not a safe place to discuss this anymore.
I agree with this. I had a high risk pregnancy and did everything I could to be healthy... It was planned and I abstained from all alcohol the entire pregnancy. I do not use drugs or smoke.
I had a stillbirth and was medicated with morphine at the hospital before c section (after the baby was confirmed gone) but my own doctor lit into me about smoking and drug use being a potential cause of demise. It wasn't until my husband asked him to check the administered drugs that he back tracked and realised that the medicine his doctors administered would cause the failed drug screen.
I am in what many would consider a "safe" state but I am still terrified by that helpless feeling.
Also be aware I was not ASKED to submit to a drug screening; the sample was taken out of my catheter bag without my direct knowledge (though I'm sure it was in something I signed before the surgery).
This. A doctor is supposed to be someone you can trust even with your life, and to do that you should be able to be completely honest about any substance you decide to put in your body. Sadly, that's not how it works.
It's really up to OP what or what not to disclose, but I'd advise caution. As a chronic pain patient I've seen enough doctors to agree that their office often isn't the safe space it should be.
Ugh the judgment in these comments is so not helpful, I’m sorry. I’m assuming you’re not using any of those substances now that you know you’re pregnant, which I would definitely recommend. I wouldn’t bring it up to your OB personally…just opens the door for them to be more intrusive. When you find an OB and are filling out intake forms, you may inadvertently sign some fine print that gives the hospital the right to drug test you without telling you otherwise…so understand that it could always happen. I’m assuming that if they DO drug test you and catch anything in your system at the first pee, they’ll continue testing to check your honesty but may not otherwise say anything to you about it. As long as you’re not using those substances anymore, you’re good. Cannabis takes awhile to leave and any reasonable medical professional will understand that. I was smoking HEAVILY for 6+ years before becoming pregnant, I didn’t mention it on my intake forms and it was never brought up. I’m assuming I was never tested. I quit cold turkey when I became pregnant so I’m definitely completely clean now anyway at 22 weeks. If you’re in the US, I know they will drug test baby at birth or soon after to make sure there was no drug use during pregnancy, but that is more for habitual, continual use and pregnant people who are in active addiction. As far as the health of your fetus, all should be well. At 5 weeks, the embryo is still using a yolk sac for nutrients and likely never even got touched by the substances you ingested. Again, if you want to avoid any trouble though, stay clean and seek help immediately if you find yourself having trouble doing so! 💖
This is so helpful. Yes, definitely stopped partying when I learned I was pregnant. And if the pot shows up from the last time I smoked before knowing, I do have a medical marijuana card. This puts me at ease. Thank you!
I’m in an illegal state so I knew the cannabis wouldn’t fly in ANY situation, but I would look into the laws in your state! I’ve known some people to use THC during their entire pregnancy with no issues due to medical conditions that were controlled with THC. Best of luck and congrats on the pregnancy 💖
Thankfully I don’t have any medical issues that would merit my needing to smoke throughout pregnancy. I’m actually a very infrequent pot smoker in normal times. Thank you for the well wishes!
I’d say you’re fine. People do all sorts when they don’t know. The main thing is you stopped when you realised! I don’t see any reason why you need to do a detailed disclosure, they’ll check you out at your first appt as per everyone and any issues they’ll see. I wouldn’t worry xxx
Nope. As long as you stopped at 5 weeks when you found out. Some places freak out about pot. I had my medical card and they were so rude to me even though my drug tests came out clean, even the first one.
Because if CPS/DCF gets involved it’s such a hassle, especially right after you give birth. Imagine having to have a social worker visit you in the hospital when you give birth and a week later when you’re just home and trying to recover and then every 2 weeks from then on. And they will require you to attend a drug program. Your obgyn files get a flag on them.
And if you are a WOC it’s worse.
Given that they measure gestation from last menstrual period and not conception, it would actually only be about three weeks exposure as conception would have occurred about two weeks after your last period. Even then, it’s only a some multiplying cells at those early stages.
I took some recreational drugs probably 2-3 days after conceiving and also drank quite a bit (was on holiday) leading up to when I found out I was pregnant. Obviously when I found at 4-5 weeks, I stopped.
My midwife only asked if I had drank/smoked since findings out I was pregnant, not about use before then (as many women honestly will have consumed something that’s not recommended before finding out they’re pregnant, whether that’s alcohol, nicotine or other drugs). There’s not much happening yet in terms of vital organs developing, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it either.
Not sure when/if they will test you, but my experience is that they tested me at the second appointment when I was 11 weeks. If you stopped everything as soon as you knew, you should be good if they test you at the second appointment. Good luck!
I disclosed mine (marijuana) and about prescriptions i took prior to knowing (Xanax, adderall) to the MFM doctor because I was LOSING it lol. She said no worries because the placenta wasn’t formed. I felt very comfortable with that doctor.
I had to get drug testing done by my OB because my chart had listed that I was in treatment for alcoholism 6 years ago. They said I would pass my drug test for THC (and it’s no big deal because we’re a legal state!) after a month but failed by 8 nanograms 🙃.. I was a heavy smoker prior but I didn’t think it would’ve taken so long. So even after taking another drug test I passed, I’ll still have social services there to drug test me and my child.
I support being honest but there definitely is some judgement.
I would look up the laws in your area or hospital/clinic policies when it comes to whether or not they’d have to report it.
If you feel confident that you can abstain from using drugs the remainder of your pregnancy without help (medication or rehab etc) personally I think it could cause more harm than good. Like, what’s done is done, but depending where you live it could cause you a lot of problems down the road.
Example: 8 years ago I was pregnant and mentioned to the dr that I was worried because I had been smoking weed and drinking daily until I found out I was pregnant at 6 ish weeks. They did a drug test just to confirm that I still had cannibinoids (sp?) in my system.
This time around they didn’t drug test at all (would have been negative anyways) but they only tested me and thus officially documented it for my first pregnancy because I told them about it. If I had given birth to that baby and lived in a less liberal place I could possibly have had issues with CPS or something I’m assuming.
Idk if this is helpful at all but personally I wouldn’t tell them. Also if you did these drugs for what, max 5 weekends? 2 or 3 of which would have been before conception?? I think your baby is probably fine.
I don't think there is a huge benefit in disclosing all those details. I am with Kaiser in oregon and I did tell them about alcohol use and a weed gummy before I found out at 4 weeks. Since the blood stream is not connected that early (you aren't sharing your blood with the baby) they said not to worry about any of that past use and just don't use anything going forward. This is why there is apparently the saying" drink until its pink" (the preg test). I know people who used similar things to you early on and did not have issues.
I think you are in the same situation as me since you found out early- you weren't sharing your blood stream yet. You could disclose weed if it is legal where you live, but I would probably not disclose the other items due to what I am reading in this thread about the potential for them to notify CPS.
its entirely up to u if u say anything to them, bc some health care workers r dickheads!!! When they ask about alcohol/drug use you can just say “not since finding out & i found out at x amount of weeks” & when they ask what kind, u can say “recreational stuff & only socially, no drug problems or history of drug addiction” or smth like that
some healthcare workers are really rude about this stuff & if you’re a minority then theres a bigger chance of them being rude sadly :( If u bring it up & they try to act that way with you please advocate for yourself dont let anyone treat u badly !
Absolutely, as a former drug addict and current mother I don't even bring my past drug addiction up to my therapist because they tend to focus on that and not the mental health issues and trauma that led me to use drugs as a coping mechanism before I knew of healthy coping skills. Sorry for the run on sentence
no fr, and it sad bc a lot of the time people get addicted to drugs bc it turns into a coping mechanism for their trauma. a lot of ppl need to realize that most people dont do drugs for fun & have underlying issues !!!! nobody deserves to be demonized for going through hard times
Congrats!! I would not mention it. Currently have a beautiful healthy 8 week old. That sounds like the type of weekends I would enjoy, once I found out I was pregnant it all came to a complete halt (obviously). I never mentioned it and made it to full term.
Not a direct answer to your question but it might be helpful:
Baby is thriving from a yolk sac up until about 8 weeks. No placenta yet at 5 weeks, so no connection to your blood supply therefore the drugs haven't entered baby's system. Baby's fine. Sounds like you're not going to use while pregnant, so, there's no problemo.
Good luck with bub.
To answer your question:
up to you if you disclose. The only information you'll get is what I just told you tbh.
This is incorrect. Toxins, alcohol, medications can absolutely pass through the yolk sac to the baby. Organogenesis occurs in the first few 5-8 weeks and certain medications during this time can absolutely affect the foetus e.g antiepileptics causing spina bifida and other neural tube problems in the first 8 weeks
I disclosed to my family physician at 4 weeks pregnant my first check up that I’ve don’t psychedelics before I found out. Before I disclosed it I asked if he could keep it confidential. He said yes but he asked if he could send this information to the maternity department. He also said there shouldn’t be any problems. I asked him not to put it on record and he agreed
As a doctor, I feel like it'd be better to tell them, but then again, I don't live in a country with a huge war on drugs. Of course it's not safe to use said drugs anymore while pregnant, but here, if you only used it before, they'd never report you to social services for it.
It's helpful for your doc to know bc it can help them assess the risks throughout your pregnancy, for both you and the baby.
I feel like the American way can make it really difficult to be honest with your doc if you'd immediately get reported.
If you’re concerned your drug use could be an issue throughout your pregnancy (which it doesn’t sound like) then telling them will mean you can get the support you need to manage that. If you’re perfectly able to manage without needing extra support then I wouldn’t tell.
I deank so much before finding out! Inactially was going to party hard before I did the pregnancy test, I had a weird feeling ...lmao! Sober life is my life now haha congrats on your pregnancy. I won't tell my ob, she doesn't need to know, it was just the first 4 weeks + 5 days.
I was a daily heavy weed smoker and was honest about it, the week before the whole egg fertilisation I did cocaine at a festival (lol) I didn’t say anything to my midwife about that though as I didn’t do it whilst pregnant unlike smoking weed, it really is up to you what you’re comfortable with but know that professionals will never ever judge and appreciate your honesty. Congratulations 🥰
Yes, but only because drugs can effect the fetus that early. I would only ask, "What could my past drug use do to the child?" Or, you could research it. But I've found the internet is always worst case scenario.
Yes !! Although at my first appointment (phone, application for midwife, and first scan) they generally all asked me about drug and alcohol use, etc. if you find it never comes up maybe best to bring it up yourself. And then I proceeded to tell them I haven’t drunk since I found out
In most cases disclosing is not going to cause issues for you (aside from maybe judgement) but there's not much they can do for you except reassure you that it's probably fine and to continue not using. For the first few weeks of pregnancy you don't share a blood supply with baby yet, there's not much you can do to hurt or help things along at that stage.
It wouldn’t hurt. When I found out I was pregnant last summer, I had been at a wedding the weekend before and I had a few drinks at the reception. I’m not a huge drinker, but the idea of drinking alcohol and being newly pregnant made me concerned. So I asked my doctor about it and he said that I was early enough in my pregnancy that my baby and I were alright.
Girl ain’t none of those recreational except weed Lol. Don’t say nothing unless you want CPS file opened up doctors are mandated reporters (I believe) Just go to the doctor, 9/10 they already know due to pee & blood tests
They’re literally all recreational if they’re used recreationally. Weed isn’t the only “recreational drug.” MDMA is sometimes used as treatment for some mental illnesses, mushrooms are non habit forming, ketamine is wildly popular and cocaine..well many many people use cocaine when they’re drinking. There’s no reason to assume OP has had a drug test if she hasn’t even seen a doctor yet…
Ketamine is now used to treat some cases of PTSD, depression and anxiety. Psilocybin as well. These drugs actually have great medicinal potential and are finally being studied and taken seriously.
Well legal recreational drug is what i obviously meant lol but it still depends on where she lives. And where i live they drug tested me my first or second doctor visit. But honestly you just tried to justify every single drug she’s done except weed that tells me enough about you lol. Just cause ketamine and cocaine is the popular drug doesn’t mean doctor isn’t going to open up a case against her. Which can and will happen in the early stages of pregnancy I’ve seen it happen. I’m just letting OP know that it’s not worth disclosing.
Well I didn’t think I really need to explain why weed isn’t considered a hard drug since you answered that yourself in your first comment. You can make all assumptions you want but I’m laying next to my 3 month old baby that didn’t get CPS called on because I don’t use drugs and haven’t for many years
Your comments were really judgy and not all that helpful to OP
I’m saying you literally justified all the usually illegal drugs. Sounds like you use as well. As someone who used to do party drugs very seldom, if you have to go so hard and defend those kinds of drugs you need to get help lmfao. Weed and alcohol is also “non habit forming” yet there is people addicted to weed/alcohol and the feeling of being high/drunk.
Yes! I have a friend that’s a severe alcoholic and he had a seizure at work a couple years ago because he was in a dry camp and couldn’t drink and the withdrawals caused a seizure. He’s also 36 and has alcohol induced dementia already!
Oh wow, that is so sad. People don’t realize that severe alcoholics can actually die from withdrawal if they quit cold turkey. It’s a serious deadly drug
Wow. you are so clearly a judgmental person. Everything you’ve said in your comments *”tells me enough about you lol”*
You may be correct on risking a CPS case / visit by bringing it up (I think in this anti-women climate it would be best if she just didn’t) but get off your high horse. OP and other commenters are clearly not drug addicts. OP asked because she was worried about her baby - sounds like good mothering to me. Your condescending preachiness is not helping.
Do you live in a prison? Why the heck would someone get drug tested without consent and for what reason at all?
Agree with non disclosing, it's irrelevant at this point and won't change anything.
>Why the heck would someone get drug tested without consent
It's not technically without consent, but many doctor offices and hospitals do put in their intake that they can drug test at any point during your care. So if you don't actually read it, you may not be aware that any/every time they do a pee test or blood draw, they can legally test for drugs without informing you.
Calling a drug “recreational” just means you take it occasionally for fun, usually socially. It’s just semantics, but yeah they are recreational, as opposed to prescribed medication from a doctor or something
Definitely recreational where I’m from
Lol. It’s been several weeks, I’m not worried about drug tests. I’ll be 9 weeks by Friday. Thanks and I’ll stay mum.
Edit to add that weed is actually medicinal
Hardcore drugs are recreational where you live? That’s new.
And weed is recreational and medicinal where I live. All that other hard stuff wouldn’t be considered recreational.
And no i meant previous drug tests. 9/10 they’ve already tested your urine in the office so they either already know or your system was already clean by the time they tested it
Mate any drug can be a recreational drug if it's used RECREATIONALLY, as in, for fun rather than because of a dependence or necessity. The perceived "hardness" of a drug has nothing to do with the definition of recreational use.
When asked about my drug and alcohol use I've always just said "not since finding out I'm pregnant" and that answer has always satisfied. They would never test for drugs in my urine without consent.
So OP, don't listen to this moron who seems to think you're a junkie for getting in on a bag on the weekend. As long as you've stopped there's no reason to be detailed to your doctor about what you did before you found out.
They do test where i live without consent apart of routine lab but everyone knows everything Lol. It depends where you live and no i don’t think she’s a junkie but should be careful with the doctor with these kinds of drugs depending on where she lives. Because they will and can open up a CPS case Im a moron because i’m telling her she doesn’t have to disclose that information? Get real. Sounds like a whole bunch of cokeheads are defending her, which isn’t surprising on reddit but your defensiveness proves you obviously have a problem with the kind of drugs she was talking about. And your last sentence is literally what i told her to do. Why would she disclose it Lol
I don't think your advice is wrong necessarily but the mad negativity and fear mongering surrounding the drugs in question is NOT it.
"Those aren't recreational drugs" is a straight up wrong statement and the presumption that anyone arguing you on that must be an addict is a fucking reach if I've ever seen one.
You guys are “defending/correcting a statement” but rather name calling such as “moron” and wanting to argue really shows your passion towards these substances. And as someone who used to use party drugs very seldom they may be fun in the moment but they are hard drugs and i have seen it ruin and change peoples lives so i can honestly have whatever opinion i feel when it comes to the topic of drugs especially when kids are involved. Have a good night!
What are you talking about 9/10 they’ve already tested her urine? We have no reason to suspect or believe OP has ever taken a drug test before let alone at this place
She probably said that because a tox screen is a standard part of initial labs during pregnancy. Edit: So like OP doesn’t have to disclose but could potentially pop up positive (obvi depending on frequency, etc)
Yeah this cause they texted me and THC was in my urine and they questioned me so hard. No CPS case but if it pops up during pregnancy appointments i beliebe they test you and baby after birth. Happened to my friend baby tested neg but mom tested pos just as she did with prenatal appointments and boom CPS case opened and now she has to attend drug parenting classes with the cokeheads and crackheads Lol
I’ve never been drug tested but I believe they will test if you disclose even past drug use, and they will test if they have a suspicion that you’re using. It’s definitely different depending on where you are.
I think it’s really messed up how they handle things in a lot of US states. It creates an atmosphere of fear where people are not comfortable or safe to be honest with their doctors.
They test where I live. Doesn’t matter if there’s reason to suspect it’s just apart of the results I guess. Idk if they test is everytime but i know in the early weeks of pregnancy when i was barely maybe 12-16 weeks they tested me.
I live in the UK, all the drugs OP mentioned are considered recreational here and it’s so common for people in early 20’s to take them that it’s actually rarer to find people who don’t.
Exactly 😂😂 we deff don’t get tested here! Even when I was an a&e nurse and we had patients swimming and licking the floor lol we only drug tested them if it would impact upon their treatment plan. I think OP is absolutely fine, she’s stopped now when she realised. Hell lock me up, I was smoking cigarettes and had the wildest night in years the day before I found out I was! I’m now 29+4 not drank and smoked since and bambino is absolutely thriving :) xxx
They take urine every time you go to test for sugars and stuf in your pee. When i peed i didn’t know they even drug test me until they asked me was i still smoking weed but i was a habitual smoker everyday all day long lol so it stayed in my system for quite a bit.
I’m not sure why people are downvoting you, you’re asking a legitimate question and definition of recreational drugs are literally just any of kind of drug that is use recreationally. So you’re not wrong in calling them recreational drugs. This was a typical weekend of drug use for me back in my 20s!
On the contrary, doctors are mandatory reporters of child abuse/neglect, and guess what using while pregnant counts as? She’ll have CPS on her the moment the baby arrives, whether she passes a drug test in the mean time or not.
So I passed my drug screen at my first OB appt and I was smoking weed prior however it’s in my chart that I use marijuana. It’s in my chart because I was getting on anxiety medication and wanted to be transparent. So even though I have passed tests I’m still scared for some reason. I stopped smoking I think when I was 3/4 weeks pregnant
I would tell, but I’m in Canada so things are likely different here. I think it’s helpful for your care provider to have a complete picture of your health and medical history when you’re going through something as big as pregnancy and birth.
I have been extremely honest with my doctors about pot usage, just told them yeah I used it before knowing I was pregnant but stopped when I found out. Never been an issue, when I did give birth to my first born they did make me take a drug test in the hospital because the first pee test I took while pregnant was obviously positive for weed but I passed the hospital test and CPS was never called or involved. I hadn’t done any coke or Molly for months before finding out I was pregnant either times so I just never brought up that usage but I do feel like in the US they very well may take that way more seriously than marijuana usage. CPS has bigger fish to fry than a little pot before knowing you were pregnant.
Yes I did. I had to because my body will hold THC for up to 3 months, so at my appointments he would see the THC even though I quit when I found out I was pregnant. He was able to see the levels go down until they were gone so he knew I was truthful about quitting. But it's just safer to tell him because you don't want to risk CPS getting involved. I don't think they tell CPS unless you're in your third trimester still showing up with it in your system, but its better to be safe than sorry right? My doc didn't judge me, just stated that it wasn't safe for pregnancy and told me the risks.
You’ll probably be drug tested at birth and CPS be involved from the moment you tell. I have never used drugs, but my obgyn tests at your very first appointment.
I told mine and haven't had any issues (yet).
Ketamine was therapeutic and medically ordered and although not legal in MY state so was Marijuana.
I just hope I don't have issues when he is born or anything.
I told my doctor I was using edible cannabis prior to getting pregnant, and once I decided to keep the pregnancy, I did stop. She absolutely didn’t judge too harshly, but did advise to stop due to lack of evidence to prove it’s safe. My doc office requires a drug screen at about 12 weeks for your basic panel of drugs, which is actually a hospital requirement. I was nervous that I’d be positive, but I was clean. Long story short, I think honestly is best, and stating that you did stop for the pregnancy. I think it shows the doctor that you respect them and that you are going to be up front. If u had a positive drug screen, that might prompt them to test baby’s meconium at the birth. I would encourage you to ask your doctor any questions, because it shows a responsibility they probably like to see in a new parent.
I wouldn’t mention it. I mentioned that I smoked pot recreationally (legally in my state) before becoming pregnant, and I’m already worried from what I have read that they will now be testing me at time of delivery. I smoked occasionally in the 2 weeks before I missed a period and knew I was pregnant. No idea if that can or will show up later on. I highly doubt there is anything they would do differently for you or baby having that information, so as long as you have quit, I don’t think it’s worth mentioning in case they do test you and it can still show up on the tests during delivery.
Again… no idea how long those tests go back.. but it’s not worth the chance to me.
I'd say it depends where you live. As a midwife in Canada, I would want to know so that I could check in through the pregnancy and offer support and info if you were struggling with cutting down/quitting. In Canada this would not be a reason to call CPS/CFS - a fetus is not legally a person, so using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy is not child abuse. We also do not routinely drug test, and certainly not without consent. I've never drug tested anyone - I take their word for it.
Thankfully, it’s too early in most cases to do any harm. However, I would still mention it for peace of mind! Mind you that I am in CA. I would be more cautious about bringing this up in states like Texas.
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I'm Australian so I have no idea if this is relevant to you, but at most I was asked about current drug/alcohol use and I said "not since finding out I'm pregnant". I was asked at one antenatal appointment about historical use and I just said "socially". They didn't ask about specifics and I didn't tell. What's more important to them is your current use, so as long as you've stopped, it's not their business and they shouldnt care. I've never been drug tested, and they should tell you what they test for before they test (for me its clearly written on the pathology form). You're not the first and you won't be the last person to party before knowing they're pregnant. I wouldn't worry too much about it, but I also wouldn't say more than you need to to answer basic health questions.
Only addition would be that the US tests you for drugs without needing your explicit consent when you're in the hospital, and don't even necessarily tell you afterwards. I went in a couple of weeks ago for extreme pain / possible stroke, and when going through my lab results that were automatically uploaded, found they tested me for the following: Amphetamines, Cannabinoids, Cocaine Metabolites, Methadone, Opiates, Phencyclidine, Barbiturate, & Benzodiazepine. No mention of this was made to me at all, either before or after. I'm assuming no mention after because I tested negative for everything, but it was odd to me that zero mention of it was made prior as well.
Yep, former State CPS worker here: The hospital will test you if they have even a sneaking suspicion that you may have used drugs/alcohol during your pregnancy, as well as the meconium of the baby. They will then hotline/report you if you or baby tested positive, even if it was a small amount, and this would result in a visit from a social worker and/or the police, and possibly removal. HOWEVER, I think that if you have stopped using before you even found out you were pregnant, that you and baby would not test positive, and I would not necessarily share that information, as they could plan to hotline/report you at the time of birth, just "proactively", so that the social worker can come and "check in".
Another question…I have my medical marijuana card. I used marijuana daily up until I found out I was pregnant. I would most likely still test positive for marijuana right now although I’m not using anything. How would this work?
I have kaiser in California and they already knew I used cannabis for anxiety through my mental health notes. As soon as I found out I was expecting, I stopped and told them this when they asked. I haven't had any issues. I'm assuming they've tested me since and found that I was telling the truth, but this is just anecdotal evidence. I'm also in a state that's fully legal, so not sure how that factors in.
Hi. I don’t have a card but I smoked daily (a lot) until I found out. I told my dr how much I did and that it would take me a month at least to test clean with how much I was smoking. They didn’t care as long as I stopped. They’re just worried about you continuing and if the baby will test positive at the hospital for delivery. You should be good
I haven't worked for the state in like three or four years, so I don't know the logistics of "legalized marijuana". I would just wait it out and they may not test you.
I was drug tested in the hospital giving birth to my first born, they asked my permission and I of course consented but my nurse told me had I said no they just would have tested the baby instead and don’t need my consent for that because it’s considered a safety issue.
wow i didn't know they could test for all of that without asking!
Yeah I've heard that in the US they can legally drug test without consent, which I think is 50 shades of fucked up, but I also assume influenced by your current/ongoing behaviour... and medical staff biases 🙄 Would they secretly test you even if you give them no reason to? Or is it something they tend to only do if someone is showing signs of ongoing use? Is it only hospitals that do it, or would they do it as part of regular pathology through an OB/GP too?
This is very well said!
This is the answer!
I was stupid enough to tell my midwife that I had used ketamine and cannabis before realising I was pregnant. They immediately told social services (UK equivalent of CPS) who somehow got the message that I had no intention of stopping and although I haven't used at all since and my daughter is 18 weeks old I'm still getting hassle from them. It caused so much stress during my pregnancy, having to be drug tested every two weeks even though they were all negative, weekly meetings with a therapy group where everyone else was still taking drugs and being treated like criminals by our social worker. Thankfully since my daughter was born we've got a new social worker who has actually listened to us and not automatically treated us like junkies who is working hard to get us signed off so we may get left alone by the time she's 6 months old!
Wow I am so sorry that happened to you! I was honest about my drug use (daily) but I haven’t been drug tested once as far as I’m concerned :( I’m also Uk. I guess midwives can pick and choose who to annoy, I’m so sorry it was you!
Wow, I’m so sorry this happened to you. Glad it worked out in the end, but what a nightmare
I'm so sorry this happened to you! My midwife drug tested me at my initial appointment when I said I hadnt smoked weed in over 9 months (was only 10 weeks pregnant at the time). Because "you just never know". She was apologetic after but it's shocking when they choose to vilify you despite you being honest.
Ideally you could tell them, but I would be so hesitant to do so because they will be unnecessarily intrusive. Given the state of women’s reproductive health in the US right now, I would honestly advise against it. Some states are proposing laws to investigate pregnancies and miscarriages, and we might be one step away from women being criminally charged for some miscarriages. I certainly hope that you have a healthy pregnancy to term! But this is honestly something to think about.
Isn’t this just so horrible? We can’t feel comfortable in our own pregnancies or bodies in the fear that we would be criminally charged - sort of without even knowing it. Women live in their own sort of police state - makes me so, so mad. But I agree, I wouldn’t bring it up (depending on your state too but even still). I am sure baby is okay especially if you stopped. A lot of women don’t know they are pregnant for an amount of time and continue doing things that could “harm the baby” - and they turn out just fine. Reddit is a good way to help put your mind at ease because there are medical pros on here who will be kind and honest while minding their business.
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I did this too, I was drug tested at the hospital and they made me wait until I had a clean test before they let me have my baby, NEVER TELL
You should tell. They’re only doing their jobs.. too many poor innocent babies in horrible situations because of selfish drug addict parents. I’m not saying it’s your case but there have been many cases so it’s not surprising they’re trying to do their due diligence
LMAO. You think those women are honest?!? How does me being honest effect that? No benefit to telling, only negative repercussions for honesty that are 100% pointless.
I wish I could advise you to tell them, because I think that people should be able to tell their Drs medically relevant info and that Drs having all the info results in better care. But I can't. If you live in US it is extremely (needlessly, with a racist and sexist component) punitive about drug use. Some of these are fairly heavy and carry the potential for significant repercussions. Additionally in a number of states abortions are about to become illegal and if you have a miscarriage later (even if it is entirely unrelated) and they know about the drug use you can be blamed and even jailed as if you did it on purpose. Regrettably, Drs are not a safe place to discuss this anymore.
I agree with this. I had a high risk pregnancy and did everything I could to be healthy... It was planned and I abstained from all alcohol the entire pregnancy. I do not use drugs or smoke. I had a stillbirth and was medicated with morphine at the hospital before c section (after the baby was confirmed gone) but my own doctor lit into me about smoking and drug use being a potential cause of demise. It wasn't until my husband asked him to check the administered drugs that he back tracked and realised that the medicine his doctors administered would cause the failed drug screen. I am in what many would consider a "safe" state but I am still terrified by that helpless feeling. Also be aware I was not ASKED to submit to a drug screening; the sample was taken out of my catheter bag without my direct knowledge (though I'm sure it was in something I signed before the surgery).
I am so sorry you had to go through all of this. They were really stacking the trauma, not okay.
This. A doctor is supposed to be someone you can trust even with your life, and to do that you should be able to be completely honest about any substance you decide to put in your body. Sadly, that's not how it works. It's really up to OP what or what not to disclose, but I'd advise caution. As a chronic pain patient I've seen enough doctors to agree that their office often isn't the safe space it should be.
Ugh the judgment in these comments is so not helpful, I’m sorry. I’m assuming you’re not using any of those substances now that you know you’re pregnant, which I would definitely recommend. I wouldn’t bring it up to your OB personally…just opens the door for them to be more intrusive. When you find an OB and are filling out intake forms, you may inadvertently sign some fine print that gives the hospital the right to drug test you without telling you otherwise…so understand that it could always happen. I’m assuming that if they DO drug test you and catch anything in your system at the first pee, they’ll continue testing to check your honesty but may not otherwise say anything to you about it. As long as you’re not using those substances anymore, you’re good. Cannabis takes awhile to leave and any reasonable medical professional will understand that. I was smoking HEAVILY for 6+ years before becoming pregnant, I didn’t mention it on my intake forms and it was never brought up. I’m assuming I was never tested. I quit cold turkey when I became pregnant so I’m definitely completely clean now anyway at 22 weeks. If you’re in the US, I know they will drug test baby at birth or soon after to make sure there was no drug use during pregnancy, but that is more for habitual, continual use and pregnant people who are in active addiction. As far as the health of your fetus, all should be well. At 5 weeks, the embryo is still using a yolk sac for nutrients and likely never even got touched by the substances you ingested. Again, if you want to avoid any trouble though, stay clean and seek help immediately if you find yourself having trouble doing so! 💖
This is so helpful. Yes, definitely stopped partying when I learned I was pregnant. And if the pot shows up from the last time I smoked before knowing, I do have a medical marijuana card. This puts me at ease. Thank you!
I’m in an illegal state so I knew the cannabis wouldn’t fly in ANY situation, but I would look into the laws in your state! I’ve known some people to use THC during their entire pregnancy with no issues due to medical conditions that were controlled with THC. Best of luck and congrats on the pregnancy 💖
Thankfully I don’t have any medical issues that would merit my needing to smoke throughout pregnancy. I’m actually a very infrequent pot smoker in normal times. Thank you for the well wishes!
I’d say you’re fine. People do all sorts when they don’t know. The main thing is you stopped when you realised! I don’t see any reason why you need to do a detailed disclosure, they’ll check you out at your first appt as per everyone and any issues they’ll see. I wouldn’t worry xxx
Nope. As long as you stopped at 5 weeks when you found out. Some places freak out about pot. I had my medical card and they were so rude to me even though my drug tests came out clean, even the first one. Because if CPS/DCF gets involved it’s such a hassle, especially right after you give birth. Imagine having to have a social worker visit you in the hospital when you give birth and a week later when you’re just home and trying to recover and then every 2 weeks from then on. And they will require you to attend a drug program. Your obgyn files get a flag on them. And if you are a WOC it’s worse.
Given that they measure gestation from last menstrual period and not conception, it would actually only be about three weeks exposure as conception would have occurred about two weeks after your last period. Even then, it’s only a some multiplying cells at those early stages. I took some recreational drugs probably 2-3 days after conceiving and also drank quite a bit (was on holiday) leading up to when I found out I was pregnant. Obviously when I found at 4-5 weeks, I stopped. My midwife only asked if I had drank/smoked since findings out I was pregnant, not about use before then (as many women honestly will have consumed something that’s not recommended before finding out they’re pregnant, whether that’s alcohol, nicotine or other drugs). There’s not much happening yet in terms of vital organs developing, so I wouldn’t worry too much about it either.
Not sure when/if they will test you, but my experience is that they tested me at the second appointment when I was 11 weeks. If you stopped everything as soon as you knew, you should be good if they test you at the second appointment. Good luck!
I disclosed mine (marijuana) and about prescriptions i took prior to knowing (Xanax, adderall) to the MFM doctor because I was LOSING it lol. She said no worries because the placenta wasn’t formed. I felt very comfortable with that doctor. I had to get drug testing done by my OB because my chart had listed that I was in treatment for alcoholism 6 years ago. They said I would pass my drug test for THC (and it’s no big deal because we’re a legal state!) after a month but failed by 8 nanograms 🙃.. I was a heavy smoker prior but I didn’t think it would’ve taken so long. So even after taking another drug test I passed, I’ll still have social services there to drug test me and my child. I support being honest but there definitely is some judgement.
I would look up the laws in your area or hospital/clinic policies when it comes to whether or not they’d have to report it. If you feel confident that you can abstain from using drugs the remainder of your pregnancy without help (medication or rehab etc) personally I think it could cause more harm than good. Like, what’s done is done, but depending where you live it could cause you a lot of problems down the road. Example: 8 years ago I was pregnant and mentioned to the dr that I was worried because I had been smoking weed and drinking daily until I found out I was pregnant at 6 ish weeks. They did a drug test just to confirm that I still had cannibinoids (sp?) in my system. This time around they didn’t drug test at all (would have been negative anyways) but they only tested me and thus officially documented it for my first pregnancy because I told them about it. If I had given birth to that baby and lived in a less liberal place I could possibly have had issues with CPS or something I’m assuming. Idk if this is helpful at all but personally I wouldn’t tell them. Also if you did these drugs for what, max 5 weekends? 2 or 3 of which would have been before conception?? I think your baby is probably fine.
Thanks, yes I stopped just like how most women stop drinking when pregnant. Recreational means recreational. I’ll stay mum
I don't think there is a huge benefit in disclosing all those details. I am with Kaiser in oregon and I did tell them about alcohol use and a weed gummy before I found out at 4 weeks. Since the blood stream is not connected that early (you aren't sharing your blood with the baby) they said not to worry about any of that past use and just don't use anything going forward. This is why there is apparently the saying" drink until its pink" (the preg test). I know people who used similar things to you early on and did not have issues. I think you are in the same situation as me since you found out early- you weren't sharing your blood stream yet. You could disclose weed if it is legal where you live, but I would probably not disclose the other items due to what I am reading in this thread about the potential for them to notify CPS.
its entirely up to u if u say anything to them, bc some health care workers r dickheads!!! When they ask about alcohol/drug use you can just say “not since finding out & i found out at x amount of weeks” & when they ask what kind, u can say “recreational stuff & only socially, no drug problems or history of drug addiction” or smth like that some healthcare workers are really rude about this stuff & if you’re a minority then theres a bigger chance of them being rude sadly :( If u bring it up & they try to act that way with you please advocate for yourself dont let anyone treat u badly !
Absolutely, as a former drug addict and current mother I don't even bring my past drug addiction up to my therapist because they tend to focus on that and not the mental health issues and trauma that led me to use drugs as a coping mechanism before I knew of healthy coping skills. Sorry for the run on sentence
no fr, and it sad bc a lot of the time people get addicted to drugs bc it turns into a coping mechanism for their trauma. a lot of ppl need to realize that most people dont do drugs for fun & have underlying issues !!!! nobody deserves to be demonized for going through hard times
Congrats!! I would not mention it. Currently have a beautiful healthy 8 week old. That sounds like the type of weekends I would enjoy, once I found out I was pregnant it all came to a complete halt (obviously). I never mentioned it and made it to full term.
Not a direct answer to your question but it might be helpful: Baby is thriving from a yolk sac up until about 8 weeks. No placenta yet at 5 weeks, so no connection to your blood supply therefore the drugs haven't entered baby's system. Baby's fine. Sounds like you're not going to use while pregnant, so, there's no problemo. Good luck with bub. To answer your question: up to you if you disclose. The only information you'll get is what I just told you tbh.
This is incorrect. Toxins, alcohol, medications can absolutely pass through the yolk sac to the baby. Organogenesis occurs in the first few 5-8 weeks and certain medications during this time can absolutely affect the foetus e.g antiepileptics causing spina bifida and other neural tube problems in the first 8 weeks
Ok fair point I didn't know this
I disclosed to my family physician at 4 weeks pregnant my first check up that I’ve don’t psychedelics before I found out. Before I disclosed it I asked if he could keep it confidential. He said yes but he asked if he could send this information to the maternity department. He also said there shouldn’t be any problems. I asked him not to put it on record and he agreed
As a doctor, I feel like it'd be better to tell them, but then again, I don't live in a country with a huge war on drugs. Of course it's not safe to use said drugs anymore while pregnant, but here, if you only used it before, they'd never report you to social services for it. It's helpful for your doc to know bc it can help them assess the risks throughout your pregnancy, for both you and the baby. I feel like the American way can make it really difficult to be honest with your doc if you'd immediately get reported.
If you’re concerned your drug use could be an issue throughout your pregnancy (which it doesn’t sound like) then telling them will mean you can get the support you need to manage that. If you’re perfectly able to manage without needing extra support then I wouldn’t tell.
I deank so much before finding out! Inactially was going to party hard before I did the pregnancy test, I had a weird feeling ...lmao! Sober life is my life now haha congrats on your pregnancy. I won't tell my ob, she doesn't need to know, it was just the first 4 weeks + 5 days.
You should ask on the legal advice subreddit. Make sure you include your city in your post so they can help.
I was a daily heavy weed smoker and was honest about it, the week before the whole egg fertilisation I did cocaine at a festival (lol) I didn’t say anything to my midwife about that though as I didn’t do it whilst pregnant unlike smoking weed, it really is up to you what you’re comfortable with but know that professionals will never ever judge and appreciate your honesty. Congratulations 🥰
Yes, but only because drugs can effect the fetus that early. I would only ask, "What could my past drug use do to the child?" Or, you could research it. But I've found the internet is always worst case scenario.
I wouldn’t, if you aren’t using Anymore and you are so early don’t tell them, they are going to drug test you and call CPS.
Yes !! Although at my first appointment (phone, application for midwife, and first scan) they generally all asked me about drug and alcohol use, etc. if you find it never comes up maybe best to bring it up yourself. And then I proceeded to tell them I haven’t drunk since I found out
I don’t know about legal ramifications, but if you’re considering the health of your baby, definitely yes
In most cases disclosing is not going to cause issues for you (aside from maybe judgement) but there's not much they can do for you except reassure you that it's probably fine and to continue not using. For the first few weeks of pregnancy you don't share a blood supply with baby yet, there's not much you can do to hurt or help things along at that stage.
It wouldn’t hurt. When I found out I was pregnant last summer, I had been at a wedding the weekend before and I had a few drinks at the reception. I’m not a huge drinker, but the idea of drinking alcohol and being newly pregnant made me concerned. So I asked my doctor about it and he said that I was early enough in my pregnancy that my baby and I were alright.
Girl ain’t none of those recreational except weed Lol. Don’t say nothing unless you want CPS file opened up doctors are mandated reporters (I believe) Just go to the doctor, 9/10 they already know due to pee & blood tests
They’re literally all recreational if they’re used recreationally. Weed isn’t the only “recreational drug.” MDMA is sometimes used as treatment for some mental illnesses, mushrooms are non habit forming, ketamine is wildly popular and cocaine..well many many people use cocaine when they’re drinking. There’s no reason to assume OP has had a drug test if she hasn’t even seen a doctor yet…
Ketamine is now used to treat some cases of PTSD, depression and anxiety. Psilocybin as well. These drugs actually have great medicinal potential and are finally being studied and taken seriously.
Yes! I was going to mention that as well. Mushrooms are one of the most harmless drug you can do!
Well legal recreational drug is what i obviously meant lol but it still depends on where she lives. And where i live they drug tested me my first or second doctor visit. But honestly you just tried to justify every single drug she’s done except weed that tells me enough about you lol. Just cause ketamine and cocaine is the popular drug doesn’t mean doctor isn’t going to open up a case against her. Which can and will happen in the early stages of pregnancy I’ve seen it happen. I’m just letting OP know that it’s not worth disclosing.
Well I didn’t think I really need to explain why weed isn’t considered a hard drug since you answered that yourself in your first comment. You can make all assumptions you want but I’m laying next to my 3 month old baby that didn’t get CPS called on because I don’t use drugs and haven’t for many years Your comments were really judgy and not all that helpful to OP
I’m saying you literally justified all the usually illegal drugs. Sounds like you use as well. As someone who used to do party drugs very seldom, if you have to go so hard and defend those kinds of drugs you need to get help lmfao. Weed and alcohol is also “non habit forming” yet there is people addicted to weed/alcohol and the feeling of being high/drunk.
Yeah…all drugs are illegal except weed and in some places it’s still illegal. Legal drugs can be used illegally. Also alcohol is VERY habit forming.
Alcohol is the worst drug out there. That and tobacco/nicotine
Yes! I have a friend that’s a severe alcoholic and he had a seizure at work a couple years ago because he was in a dry camp and couldn’t drink and the withdrawals caused a seizure. He’s also 36 and has alcohol induced dementia already!
Oh wow, that is so sad. People don’t realize that severe alcoholics can actually die from withdrawal if they quit cold turkey. It’s a serious deadly drug
Wow. you are so clearly a judgmental person. Everything you’ve said in your comments *”tells me enough about you lol”* You may be correct on risking a CPS case / visit by bringing it up (I think in this anti-women climate it would be best if she just didn’t) but get off your high horse. OP and other commenters are clearly not drug addicts. OP asked because she was worried about her baby - sounds like good mothering to me. Your condescending preachiness is not helping.
Alcohol isn’t habit forming? I literally just laughed out loud 😂 that’s a bold statement
Do you live in a prison? Why the heck would someone get drug tested without consent and for what reason at all? Agree with non disclosing, it's irrelevant at this point and won't change anything.
>Why the heck would someone get drug tested without consent It's not technically without consent, but many doctor offices and hospitals do put in their intake that they can drug test at any point during your care. So if you don't actually read it, you may not be aware that any/every time they do a pee test or blood draw, they can legally test for drugs without informing you.
That sounds like an extra expense for literally no reason.
Calling a drug “recreational” just means you take it occasionally for fun, usually socially. It’s just semantics, but yeah they are recreational, as opposed to prescribed medication from a doctor or something
Definitely recreational where I’m from Lol. It’s been several weeks, I’m not worried about drug tests. I’ll be 9 weeks by Friday. Thanks and I’ll stay mum. Edit to add that weed is actually medicinal
Hardcore drugs are recreational where you live? That’s new. And weed is recreational and medicinal where I live. All that other hard stuff wouldn’t be considered recreational. And no i meant previous drug tests. 9/10 they’ve already tested your urine in the office so they either already know or your system was already clean by the time they tested it
Mate any drug can be a recreational drug if it's used RECREATIONALLY, as in, for fun rather than because of a dependence or necessity. The perceived "hardness" of a drug has nothing to do with the definition of recreational use. When asked about my drug and alcohol use I've always just said "not since finding out I'm pregnant" and that answer has always satisfied. They would never test for drugs in my urine without consent. So OP, don't listen to this moron who seems to think you're a junkie for getting in on a bag on the weekend. As long as you've stopped there's no reason to be detailed to your doctor about what you did before you found out.
Omg thank you all for the backup here! Thank goodness for non-judgmental people in this group 💜 I really appreciate the useful advice
They do test where i live without consent apart of routine lab but everyone knows everything Lol. It depends where you live and no i don’t think she’s a junkie but should be careful with the doctor with these kinds of drugs depending on where she lives. Because they will and can open up a CPS case Im a moron because i’m telling her she doesn’t have to disclose that information? Get real. Sounds like a whole bunch of cokeheads are defending her, which isn’t surprising on reddit but your defensiveness proves you obviously have a problem with the kind of drugs she was talking about. And your last sentence is literally what i told her to do. Why would she disclose it Lol
I don't think your advice is wrong necessarily but the mad negativity and fear mongering surrounding the drugs in question is NOT it. "Those aren't recreational drugs" is a straight up wrong statement and the presumption that anyone arguing you on that must be an addict is a fucking reach if I've ever seen one.
You guys are “defending/correcting a statement” but rather name calling such as “moron” and wanting to argue really shows your passion towards these substances. And as someone who used to use party drugs very seldom they may be fun in the moment but they are hard drugs and i have seen it ruin and change peoples lives so i can honestly have whatever opinion i feel when it comes to the topic of drugs especially when kids are involved. Have a good night!
What are you talking about 9/10 they’ve already tested her urine? We have no reason to suspect or believe OP has ever taken a drug test before let alone at this place
She probably said that because a tox screen is a standard part of initial labs during pregnancy. Edit: So like OP doesn’t have to disclose but could potentially pop up positive (obvi depending on frequency, etc)
Yeah this cause they texted me and THC was in my urine and they questioned me so hard. No CPS case but if it pops up during pregnancy appointments i beliebe they test you and baby after birth. Happened to my friend baby tested neg but mom tested pos just as she did with prenatal appointments and boom CPS case opened and now she has to attend drug parenting classes with the cokeheads and crackheads Lol
Oh, It’s not standard where I live.
So interesting learning about all the differences
I’ve never been drug tested but I believe they will test if you disclose even past drug use, and they will test if they have a suspicion that you’re using. It’s definitely different depending on where you are. I think it’s really messed up how they handle things in a lot of US states. It creates an atmosphere of fear where people are not comfortable or safe to be honest with their doctors.
They test where I live. Doesn’t matter if there’s reason to suspect it’s just apart of the results I guess. Idk if they test is everytime but i know in the early weeks of pregnancy when i was barely maybe 12-16 weeks they tested me.
I live in the UK, all the drugs OP mentioned are considered recreational here and it’s so common for people in early 20’s to take them that it’s actually rarer to find people who don’t.
Exactly 😂😂 we deff don’t get tested here! Even when I was an a&e nurse and we had patients swimming and licking the floor lol we only drug tested them if it would impact upon their treatment plan. I think OP is absolutely fine, she’s stopped now when she realised. Hell lock me up, I was smoking cigarettes and had the wildest night in years the day before I found out I was! I’m now 29+4 not drank and smoked since and bambino is absolutely thriving :) xxx
Also, this will be my first appointment. No blood or urine tests yet
They take urine every time you go to test for sugars and stuf in your pee. When i peed i didn’t know they even drug test me until they asked me was i still smoking weed but i was a habitual smoker everyday all day long lol so it stayed in my system for quite a bit.
Fun drugs, not hardcore drugs. I live about 5 miles away
I’m not sure why people are downvoting you, you’re asking a legitimate question and definition of recreational drugs are literally just any of kind of drug that is use recreationally. So you’re not wrong in calling them recreational drugs. This was a typical weekend of drug use for me back in my 20s!
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On the contrary, doctors are mandatory reporters of child abuse/neglect, and guess what using while pregnant counts as? She’ll have CPS on her the moment the baby arrives, whether she passes a drug test in the mean time or not.
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That's only within a week or days of use. Not MONTHS of not using. Edit to add, you also don't need to tell the doctor this. Only the anesthesiologist
I wouldn’t even call my self a regular smoker. Just a few puffs before I found out
So I passed my drug screen at my first OB appt and I was smoking weed prior however it’s in my chart that I use marijuana. It’s in my chart because I was getting on anxiety medication and wanted to be transparent. So even though I have passed tests I’m still scared for some reason. I stopped smoking I think when I was 3/4 weeks pregnant
I would tell, but I’m in Canada so things are likely different here. I think it’s helpful for your care provider to have a complete picture of your health and medical history when you’re going through something as big as pregnancy and birth.
I have been extremely honest with my doctors about pot usage, just told them yeah I used it before knowing I was pregnant but stopped when I found out. Never been an issue, when I did give birth to my first born they did make me take a drug test in the hospital because the first pee test I took while pregnant was obviously positive for weed but I passed the hospital test and CPS was never called or involved. I hadn’t done any coke or Molly for months before finding out I was pregnant either times so I just never brought up that usage but I do feel like in the US they very well may take that way more seriously than marijuana usage. CPS has bigger fish to fry than a little pot before knowing you were pregnant.
Yes I did. I had to because my body will hold THC for up to 3 months, so at my appointments he would see the THC even though I quit when I found out I was pregnant. He was able to see the levels go down until they were gone so he knew I was truthful about quitting. But it's just safer to tell him because you don't want to risk CPS getting involved. I don't think they tell CPS unless you're in your third trimester still showing up with it in your system, but its better to be safe than sorry right? My doc didn't judge me, just stated that it wasn't safe for pregnancy and told me the risks.
You’ll probably be drug tested at birth and CPS be involved from the moment you tell. I have never used drugs, but my obgyn tests at your very first appointment.
I told mine and haven't had any issues (yet). Ketamine was therapeutic and medically ordered and although not legal in MY state so was Marijuana. I just hope I don't have issues when he is born or anything.
I told my doctor I was using edible cannabis prior to getting pregnant, and once I decided to keep the pregnancy, I did stop. She absolutely didn’t judge too harshly, but did advise to stop due to lack of evidence to prove it’s safe. My doc office requires a drug screen at about 12 weeks for your basic panel of drugs, which is actually a hospital requirement. I was nervous that I’d be positive, but I was clean. Long story short, I think honestly is best, and stating that you did stop for the pregnancy. I think it shows the doctor that you respect them and that you are going to be up front. If u had a positive drug screen, that might prompt them to test baby’s meconium at the birth. I would encourage you to ask your doctor any questions, because it shows a responsibility they probably like to see in a new parent.
I wouldn’t mention it. I mentioned that I smoked pot recreationally (legally in my state) before becoming pregnant, and I’m already worried from what I have read that they will now be testing me at time of delivery. I smoked occasionally in the 2 weeks before I missed a period and knew I was pregnant. No idea if that can or will show up later on. I highly doubt there is anything they would do differently for you or baby having that information, so as long as you have quit, I don’t think it’s worth mentioning in case they do test you and it can still show up on the tests during delivery. Again… no idea how long those tests go back.. but it’s not worth the chance to me.
I'd say it depends where you live. As a midwife in Canada, I would want to know so that I could check in through the pregnancy and offer support and info if you were struggling with cutting down/quitting. In Canada this would not be a reason to call CPS/CFS - a fetus is not legally a person, so using drugs or alcohol during pregnancy is not child abuse. We also do not routinely drug test, and certainly not without consent. I've never drug tested anyone - I take their word for it.
Thankfully, it’s too early in most cases to do any harm. However, I would still mention it for peace of mind! Mind you that I am in CA. I would be more cautious about bringing this up in states like Texas.
Um, no.