The Ondo government has cautioned pregnant women in the state against the wrong use of drugs, saying that such was detrimental to their lives and babies.

The state committee on drug control gave this advice on Monday while addressing pregnant women during a sensitisation programme on the dangers of drug abuse in Akure.

The programme was sponsored by the state Ministry of Health and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Taiwo Adeyemi, the speaker at the programme, warned pregnant women to solely seek advice from medical personnel before taking any drug.

She said that ignorance and stress are sometimes responsible for drug abuse among pregnant women while urging them to desist from getting counsel from their friends on the use of drugs.

Mrs Adeyemi, a pharmacist, explained that the wrong use of drugs could cause infections to pregnant women and their babies, saying that it could also damage vital organs in their bodies.

According to her, birth defects, miscarriage, psychological disorder, cardiac arrest, mental challenges can be caused by the wrong use of drugs.

Also, Yetunde Jeyitous, the assistant commander of the narcotics drug demand reduction unit of the state NDLEA, tasked pregnant women to walk away from friends or anything that could lure them into drug abuse.

(NAN)