Rise in Pregnant Women Using Pot for Morning Sickness

More and more pregnant women are turning to pot to ease morning sickness, according to a new study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. Not surprisingly, the findings coincide with the growing legalization of medical and recreational marijuana.

After surveying over 200,000 pregnant women, researchers found that more than 5 percent had recently used marijuana. And it was most common among women struggling with morning sickness than those without. Pot use more than doubled among women with mild symptoms, and was nearly four times higher among those with severe symptoms.

Researchers don't know how many women used the drug prior to pregnancy and the study didn’t prove that morning sickness drove women to the drug. It did suggest, however, that women are using pot as a form of self-medication, Young-Wolff, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, in Oakland, told HealthDay.

"These findings are concerning," she said. "It's really important that we connect women with medically approved treatments for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy."

While pot has been found to ease nausea and vomiting, there’s no research showing its effectiveness for morning sickness. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), “women who are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy should be encouraged to discontinue marijuana use” and “to discontinue use of marijuana for medicinal purposes in favor of an alternative therapy.”

Dr. Anthony Scialli, an obstetrician/gynecologist in Washington, D.C., said he wasn’t too surprised by these findings. He noted that many women who use pot for morning sickness are often using the drug before becoming pregnant. "They also believe that it's safe to use during pregnancy," Sciali told HealthDay.

While research is still ongoing, there are some proven negative health effects of using marijuana during pregnancy.  Here are a few outlined by ACOG. 

• Premature birth, or birth before 37 weeks of pregnancy. 
• Low birth weight.
• Anencephaly. This is a severe neural tube defect that causes missing major parts of the brain, skull and scalp. Babies with this condition do not survive long after birth.
• Anemia, or lack of healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to the baby’s body.
• Problems with brain development.
• Stillbirth, or when a baby dies in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.   

Getting Help for Marijuana Abuse
If you use marijuana and are pregnant or considering pregnancy, we can work together to create a treatment plan. To learn more about our rehab services for women, call today: 866-746-1558. 

Rise in Opioid Addiction Among Pregnant Women

Opioid addiction has lead to devastating consequences for many American families and this includes pregnant women. 

According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of women with opioid use disorder (OUD) at labor and delivery more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2014. The rate increased from 1.5 per 1,000 delivery hospitalizations in 1999 to 6.5 in 2014. 

It’s “a significant public health concern,” the report said. This is because opioid addiction can lead to devastating health consequences for both mothers and babies, including 

• Maternal death
• Preterm birth
• Stillbirth
• Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)

Last year, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) published an article which stated that women with opioid use disorder often "suffer from co-occurring mental health conditions, particularly depression, history of trauma, post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety.”

For the study, researchers analyzed information on women in 28 states. California and Hawaii were the lowest while Maine, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia had the largest increase. Still, even in states with small annual increases, there was a rise in women presenting with OUD at labor and delivery.  

"Untreated opioid use disorder during pregnancy can lead to heartbreaking results. Each case represents a mother, a child, and a family in need of continued treatment and support," CDC Director Robert R. Redfield, MD, said in a statement.

The CDC is calling for “state-level action,” including an increased effort from healthcare providers to identify, monitor and treat women with OUD during pregnancy. 

Opioid Addiction Treatment for Women
Making the decision to seek help for your own addiction may be the biggest and most important choice of your life. Let us lead the way. To learn more about our rehab services for women, call today: 866-746-1558. 

Are You Eating Mindfully?

A big part of recovery is learning to make better choices – including how we handle stress and what we put into our bodies to nourish our minds and bodies. This is where mindful eating can come into play.

Eating slowly and mindfully has been found to boost your mental health. Mindful eating means chewing slowly and focusing your attention on your feelings and senses as you eat.

Learning to eat mindfully will teach you how to slow down and enjoy your food, to stop when you’re full and to decipher real hunger from cravings due to stress. 

Here are a few more benefits:

• You’ll increase your awareness of healthy versus unhealthy food choices. 
• You’ll increase your enjoyment of food and the pleasure of eating, rather than taking your meals for granted.
• You’ll strengthen your muscle of presence, learning to stay in the moment

Mindfulness Eating Exercise

Try this mindful eating exercise at your next meal: 

• Before you dig in, sit in a comfortable position and bring yourself in the moment by taking a few breaths. 
• Take a minute to pause and think about where the food came from, where it grew and who helped it get to your plate.
• Look at the colors, shapes and details and smell the aroma of what you’re about to eat.
• With each bite, chew slowly and focus on the taste and texture in your mouth. 
• Notice the impulse you might have to eat fast or grab for the next bite. 
• Pay attention to any cues that your body is full or getting full.
• Either verbally or internally, give thanks for your meal and the nutrients that help strengthen your mind and body. 

Healthy Eating at Rising Roads Recovery

We are staffed to support all of our clients in the exploration of themselves and their relationship to food. We are lucky to have a registered dietician as well as women who are in recovery from food related issues that can help you find a path to healthy eating. To learn more about our nutritional guidance and cooking classes, call today: 866-746-1558. 

Choosing the Best Sponsor for You

Choosing the right sponsor is critical for a successful recovery and the sponsor/sponsee relationship may be among the most important relationships made in recovery. This is why you’ll want to carefully choose someone who is the best possible choice for you and your recovery goals. 

A good sponsor is someone who has worked through the 12 steps – with at least one year of sobriety – and is active in her own recovery. It’s also smart to choose someone who you’re not potentially attracted to. This well-known guideline is set in place so you don’t risk romantic involvement and can focus solely on your recovery. 

Here are a few more considerations to keep in mind when choosing a sponsor. 

• Does she have a sponsor or other sponsees? The best kinds of sponsors are those who are working with their own sponsors. This ensures that they have experience with the sponsor/sponsee relationship and their sponsor may even serve as an additional resource in your recovery. Along the same lines, try to avoid a sponsor who is already sponsoring someone else. You want to make sure that the person isn’t stretched too thin and has time to devote to you. 
• How will she help enhance your recovery? You’ll want to look for a person who will be a positive influence and motivate you to build a better, sober life. Consider these questions: Do you admire her recovery and new sober life? Does this person seem genuinely optimistic? Does she volunteer or have hobbies? How does she interact with others? 
• Does she seem open and honest? To best support your recovery, a sponsor will need to be honest with you and unafraid to speak up if your actions or behaviors are risking your recovery. 
• Do you feel comfortable around her? Putting your trust into someone you don’t know may feel strange at first, but these feelings should fade. You need to feel comfortable being around and confiding in your sponsor. And, if you don’t, it’s okay to choose a new one. Also, keep in mind that what you look for in a sponsor may be different depending on the stage of your recovery.  

About Our 12 Step Inclusive Program

At Rising Roads, our clients obtain a 12 step sponsor and actively work the program. It's our intention to show you what a sober woman is in all aspects of her life. You will be allowed passes with your sponsor and we will be encouraging you to create a strong sober community for yourself. To learn more about our women's 12 step program, call today: 866-746-1558.