Dangers of Xylazine for Pregnant Women and their Babies

At Victory Recovery Partners, a network of five addiction/recovery centers on Long Island, New York, we see first-hand how addictions can affect both the lives of the users as well as their children. Having an addiction during one’s pregnancy can create all sorts of challenges and obstacles. Of course, none of us would want to battle substance use while pregnant – however, sometimes the addiction takes over, causing severe damage to the unborn child.  

Megan Norris’ story is an example of someone who has struggled with both a heroin and fentanyl addiction for over 10 years. During her pregnancy, she had exposed both her and her fetus to xylazine. This drug is a toxic animal tranquilizer that according to Norris, “...is so addictive, so physically addictive, you just can’t stop.”  

Megan Norris’ situation is common – in fact, drug overdoses are a leading cause of death among pregnant women in the United States. An alarming statistic is that as many as 1 in 20 women use addictive substances during their pregnancy. With the continued increase of fentanyl use in the US, more pregnant women are using opioids. Public health officials are now concerned as xylazine use continues to rise as well, posing new risks to both the mother, her fetuses and newborns.  

The growing issue now is that xylazine is being mixed into drugs containing fentanyl. The origins of how xylazine became mixed into the drug supply is essentially unknown. At some point, drug gangs began mixing it into fentanyl. Xylazine is actually an animal tranquilizer commonly used by veterinarians. However, for humans, the drug is harmful, causing skin wounds and sores that frequently do not fully heal – along with the risk of overdosing.  

In Megan Norris’ situation, she became very concerned about her fetus being exposed to xylazine. She felt a lot of anxiety and uncertainty not knowing how the drug would affect her unborn child. One may wonder why Norris wouldn’t just stop using the drug since she knows the harmful effects of it. Unfortunately, according to researchers, xylazine is known to be more addictive than both heroin and fentanyl. Therefore, it is very hard to quit using the drug. 

Doctors, such as Dr. Ilana Hull (University of Pittsburgh), explain that many of the women battling addiction to xylazine do indeed care about their fetuses. However, the addiction is so strong that it makes it hard to quit using the drug. An important fact to note is that drug use is also a crime – women who use drugs such as fentanyl and xylazine may face the risk of losing the custody of their children. As if battling substance use disorder and addiction wasn’t enough, these women now feel the pressure of knowing they are breaking the law and committing a crime.  

As for Megan Norris’ situation, she did eventually receive treatment for her addiction. A major factor contributing to her recovery was her use of prescribed doses of methadone. At Victory, we have two methadone centers to help patients with opioid use disorder. We recognize the beneficial results that come from supervised methadone use, and we have seen great success with our patients who are in the program. 

Victory Recovery Partners, a network of addiction and recovery centers on Long Island, New York, understands the risks associated with drug use during one’s pregnancy. Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer, has grown into a substance that has caused addictions in many pregnant women. While it is certainly hard to overcome an addiction, here at Victory we have seen time and time again patient success –overcoming addiction is possible. While providing total care under one roof, including behavioral health services, MAT (medication-assisted treatment) services, psychiatric services, and wellness services, we put our patients in the best-possible situations to allow for a full recovery. For more information on Victory, visit our website www.victoryrp.com