The number of women taking cocaine during pregnancy has risen significantly over the last few years, according to a North East NHS trust.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said cases detecting cocaine in pregnancy at Northumbria Healthcare have risen from just three women in 2017 to 47 in 2021. And in the first six months of this year, 41 women have already been identified.
The trust has since launched a campaign to raise awareness of the life-threatening risks of taking cocaine while pregnant. It is also encouraging those who have taken drugs at any point in pregnancy to speak to their midwife for support and help.
