Gynaecology Collaboration logo
Home » Obstetrics » Substance Use During Pregnancy

Substance Use During Pregnancy

Medically reviewed by: Aqib A, Shah N, Clarfield L, Shirreff L

|
Last updated August 16, 2025
Download

Substance Use Handout Image

Substance Use During Pregnancy

Alcohol

It is safest to avoid all consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.  Alcohol use during pregnancy has found to be associated with development abnormalities.

Cannabis

Cannabis should not be used during pregnancy because prenatal exposure can increase the risk of neurobehavioural abnormalities for the baby. Using cannabis during pregnancy has been shown to increase the risk of low birth weight, preterm labour, and stillbirth.

Cigarettes

Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is not recommended because it  increases the risk for low birth weight, placental abruption, and perinatal mortality rates. The effect of vaping is not as well studied. However, vaping products include nicotine which is known to be harmful for the baby as well.

Caffeine

A moderate amount of caffeine (less than 200 mg per day) is typically safe to use during pregnancy. There is not enough evidence regarding the effect of high caffeine intake on pregnancy outcomes.

Opioids

Opioid use during pregnancy is related with poor outcomes such as preterm birth, a small for gestational age baby. It can also lead to opioid withdrawal in the baby. However, for pregnant people with opioid use disorder, agonist therapy can be safe during pregnancy.

 

PH – Substance Use During Pregnancy

  • Have this document emailed to you

    Enter your email address below and submit to have this handout emailed to you. If you are a physician emailing this handout to a patient, you can use the message field to add additional information.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Related Posts

Home » Obstetrics » Substance Use During Pregnancy

This material is intended for use by Canadian residents only, and is solely for informational and educational purposes. The information presented is not to be used as a substitute for medical advice, independent judgement, or proper clinical assessment by a physician. The context of each case and individual needs differ between patients and this material cannot be applied without consultation with a trained doctor. This material reflects the information available at the time of preparation.

Homepage graphics created by A. Workewych (Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto)