Paternal drug use at conception

[gwerve]

Hi all,

I'm looking for some advice/experience/guidance. My wife and I recently found out we are pregnant, which was not expected.

I'm happy at this news but also concerned because I wouldn't say I have a particularly healthy lifestyle - although I exercise, eat well and am not overweight, I also have a demanding, stressful job and along with enjoying a drink several times a week, would also class myself as a regular cocaine user (sometimes 2/3 times a month).

I hadn't stopped taking it at the point we conceived and am concerned that I have damaged our baby. I've been reading about fathers' cocaine use at the point of conception and it doesn't make for good reading so I guess what I'm looking for is some guidance - has anyone else here fallen pregnant while the father has been using cocaine? What happened? Did you have a healthy child?

Not me, but by OH was a regular everything user when he got the mother of his first child pregnant. If he hadn’t been taking the drugs he might have seen what an absolute thunderc**t she is, but hey...that’s another matter!! 😂😂😂

Anyway, the child is 13. He’s not got any learning deficit. Seems like a pretty regular kid.

Unfortunately, there is very little you can do now except give up the drugs for your child’s future. There has been some research to suggest that what parents do before conception can not only effect the first generation, but subsequent generations also by permanent impact to genetic material. But it’s not clear how.

My honest opinion is that your baby has no more risk from your drug use than it does from mothers drug use to be honest. And guilting yourself or worrying without fact is not going to help anyone.

Try to relax and support your wife 😊 Enjoy the journey