what impact does hydrocodone have on a baby during pregnancy?

absolutely not! hydrocodone is an offbrand of vicodin. it can seriously mess up the babys organs, including the brain liver and the heart. it could also kill her baby, i dont care what she 'heard' taking recreational drugs during your pregnancy does not show much love nor care for the child, its very irresponsible, the only medications during pregnancy that are ok are the ones your doctor tells you is safe, even then you should always check with your pharmacist. i personally know hydrocodone isnt ok because i was perscribed it as a pain killer just before i got pregnant because of my wisdom teeth being cut out, i was still using it for really bad cramps, turns out its amazing my babys healthy now cuz in the first month its easiest to lose them...

Grandpa-- I have to disagree with the prior response.  I am a psychiatrist, and also have a PhD in neurochemistry--- not boasting, but I want you to trust my answer.  I treat many, many women who are pregnant and taking opioids, including hydrocodone, oxycodone, methadone, and others. 

There are many reasons to escape from addiction, but terrifying grandparents needlessly is not helpful.  The truth is that opioids have no significant impact on organ development.  There are two things that have the potential to affect the baby--- one is the general health of the mother, and the other is the cycle of using and withdrawal.

 In more detail--  mothers addicted to opioids often have lead lives of desperation.  They go to great lengths to avoid withdrawal, including saving money that should be spent on doctor visits and good food, and even including prostitution.  Babies do best with good prenatal care, appropriate vitamins, monitoring and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases, etc.  Moms addicted to opioids are less likely to do those things.

The other issue-- when a person gets 'high' from opioids, that person breathes at a slower rate.  Overdoses occur when the oxygen level drops so low that the brain is deprived of oxygen.  Every addict says 'I don't take it to that point;  I stop before I take too much.'  But people lack control when they are actively using, and overdoses are not uncommon.  There is a point where the mom would be getting enough oxygen, but the baby is NOT getting enough oxygen. THAT would be potentially devastating to the baby.  Realize that I have treated over 600  opioid addicts, and had about 50 women come in for treatment while they were pregnant (that often drives women to seek treatment).  None of those women had babies damaged by low oxygen, and in fact, all had healthy babies.

Finally, if the mom is on an opioid during the pregnancy, the baby will go through some amount of withdrawal after birth.  Nurses and doctors will treat your daughter poorly, shaming her and making her feel guilty.  Unfortunately, shaming a person does nothing to help the situation;  addicts are already ashamed, and that is one reason they keep using.  And frankly, the withdrawal experience is likely less unpleasant for babies than people like to snipe about.  Think of it like this:  during birth, the baby's head is squeezed so hard that it changes shape.  Sometimes metal forceps are used to pull the baby out by the head.  Circumcisions are still routinely performed by using rubber strips to hole the limbs down, then cutting off the foreskin.  Unti about 20 years ago, babies having surgery-- even heart surgery-- were only paralyzed, and not given any other anesthetic, as it was thought that they couldn't tolerate anesthesia!    Withdrawal includes a great amount of misery--- including shame, guilt, depression, fear-- babies are not feeling 'shameful' for withdrawal.  Moreover, an infant's GI tract is not completely innervated at birth which is why some have such bad colic-- again, which is likely as bad as any withdrawal.

I'm not saying that your daughter is doing a good thing.  But as you are learning, there is much more to stopping an addiction to opioids than just deciding to stop!  The relapse rate is very high, and I have very high-functioning patients who have done some amazing things in life-- but who cannot stop using. 

I suspect the baby will be fine, although social services may get involved if she is no involved in a treatment program.  Let her know that fact-- maybe the thought of losing the baby to bureaucrats will get her into treatment.

 Take care,

Jeff J