Is Kratom Safe: Kratom and Pregnancy
Is Kratom Safe for Pregnant Women? One question any female kratom advocate has in the backs of their mind is whether or not kratom will affect their unborn baby. KratomUtopia wishes to ease the minds of all expectant mothers out there who have come to love kratom. After all, the baby is the most important reason to know for sure.
Is kratom safe for pregnant women? The answer is absolutely not! Even though studies are limited on this subject, the unborn baby should be protected at all cost. If Tylenol is unfit for an expectant mother, then all other substances should be also.
Pregnancy and Medications
When you become pregnant, the first thing your doctor tells you is to avoid any type of substance or over-the-counter medication. The same should be true with kratom. Kratom contains at least 40 different alkaloids, some of which mimic the effects of certain opioid drugs in higher doses. Opioids like hydrocodone and morphine, to be exact. The alkaloids themselves are not classified as opioids, but they do bind to certain opioid receptors in the brain, which suggests opioid-like features. Is kratom safe for pregnant women? This suggests it is not wise to ever consume kratom while carrying another life.
According to The Recovery Village, using opioids during pregnancy can produce excessive fluid in the baby’s brain, glaucoma, a hole in the abdominal wall, congenital heart defects, and even the incurable disease, Spina Bifida. Also, kratom is still unregulated by the FDA and could potentially contain other harmful additives which could possibly hurt the unborn fetus. Because of these reasons, kratom should altogether be avoided during pregnancy.
What to Do if You Become Pregnant
The first thing you need to do is stop taking kratom, and let your doctor know about the pregnancy and about the kratom use. This way they can monitor the fetus more closely for any potential signs of trouble. When you first stop taking kratom, it may be difficult and you may experience withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal symptoms include:
Physical Symptoms:
- insomnia
- decreased appetite
- nausea and/or vomiting
- muscle spasms and/or muscle pain
- sweating
- fever
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- headaches
- hot flashes
- watery eyes and nose
- hiccups
- tremors
Psychological Symptoms:
- anxiety
- restlessness
- tension
- anger
- hostility
- aggression
- sadness
- confusion
- delusion
- hallucination
Kratom and Breastfeeding: Is Kratom Safe?
There have also been limited studies on the safety of kratom on lactating mothers, so the answer should be simple. Anything you consume will be expressed into your milk and the baby will also be partaking. This is true with all substances, not just spicy foods. The risk associated with kratom and breastfeeding greatly outweigh any benefit, states the Infant Risk Center. Is kratom safe to use while breastfeeding? Absolutely not, why chance it!