Addiction, Childbirth, and Dying

When your family is at a funeral home in Roanoke, VA, the deceased loved one for whom you’re making funeral arrangements is most likely not an addicted mother who has given birth to a child in the previous 12 months.   

But, then again, as addiction has become a pervasive problem throughout the United States, in large part because of the opioid crisis, there are very few families who have not been touched, in some way, by addiction. 

Why are addicted mothers who’ve given birth particularly vulnerable to dying within the first year after their child is born? There are several reasons, many of which all women who give birth go through, but which are compounded by addiction, making death much more likely. 

One problem for addicted mothers is that they may have become quite adept at hiding their addiction before and during their pregnancies. Even their obstetricians may be unable to tell that they are drug addicts.   

Addictive drugs change brain chemistry. The cycle of addiction is altered brain chemistry that feeds the craving for the addictive substances. However, during pregnancy, women experience significant brain chemistry changes caused by the hormones that are produced during pregnancy to create a supportive environment for the unborn baby and to prepare the body for birth. 

When these two sources of brain chemistry collide, the results can be disastrous, even during pregnancy. However, there are often enough pheromones and external support for many addicted pregnant women to keep the brain chemistry and drugs that might lead to untimely death at bay. 

However, after women give birth, another dramatic hormonal shift, known as post-partum depression, happens. There are many stories of even the most stable and healthy of women, who have plenty of help and support, struggling mightily to choose to stay alive during this post-pregnancy period. 

For addicted women in post-childbirth, however, post-partum depression can add fire to the fuel of addiction cravings. Because of that, addicted women are susceptible to deadly drug overdoses during the first year after they give birth. 

Both social work and medical professionals have also identified other reasons why addicted mothers may be so vulnerable to drug overdoses that lead to death in the year after childbirth.   

The peak window for these kinds of deaths is between seven and twelve months after giving birth. This insight shines the light on the things that may be lacking for addicted new mothers. 

One thing may be adequate support. This can include medical support, as well as societal and familiar support. Similar to the immediate outpouring of support when someone dies, only to have it dissipate and disappear a short time later, the arrival of a baby often brings a lot of support for new mothers. However, once the mother is back on her feet, she is left alone with a new little life in additional to her regular life.   

For addicts, this may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, because the expectation from doctors, society, and families is that they’ll be fine and work their way into a new normal, which may be much harder to do than for non-addicted mothers. 



The other lack for addicted mothers is insufficient help. Addicts are good at hiding addiction, so it may not be readily apparent that they need extra help during the first year after they give birth. Professionals admit that there must be more education about understanding the need for help with addicted mothers so that medical staff and family members can see signs when they need to step in with additional help. 

For information about having a funeral at a funeral home in Roanoke, VA, our caring and knowledgeable staff at Lynch Conner-Bowman Funeral Home can assist you. You can visit our funeral home at 140 Floyd Ave., Rocky Mount, VA, 24151, or you can call us today at (540) 483-5533 for your immediate need.