Pregnant Nicole’s Relapse Nightmare

Pregnant Nicole Richie is perilously close to a drug relapse! Just weeks after The ENQUIRER revealed the former heroin addict was expecting boyfriend Joel Madden’s baby, friends and medical experts fear stress may trigger her old habits- endangering her unborn child.

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The 25-year-old skin-and-bones reality TV star began drinking and taking drugs as a teen- and has done at least two stints in rehab.

“A relapse would be the ultimate nightmare for Nicole- she could harm herself and cause undue damage to the baby,� an insider told The ENQUIRER.

When Nicole began rehab in early May, she weighted 83 pounds, was six weeks pregnant and in a complete panic. “She faced her darkest hours as she went through detox and re-evaluated her life and relationship,� said the insider.

As The ENQUIRER recently disclosed, Nicole took an estimated 73,000 pills in the past four years- mostly the painkiller Vicodin and muscle relaxant Soma- in addition to drinking and using cocaine.

“Nicole is in an outpatient program, has stopped drinking and drug-taking, and has gained some weight,� revealed the insider.

Nicole and Joel are optimistic about the future- they’re thrilled about marrying and having their baby.

“But the specter of a relapse and the possibility of her harming or even losing the baby hang over everything Nicole does,� said the insider.

Experts warn if Nicole continues her drug use, it could cause developmental damage to her fetus- and even the baby’s death.

“There’s no question if Nicole does not stop taking drugs, her baby will be born addicted,� obstetrician Mary Jane Minkin, a clinical professor at Yale University who has not treated Nicole, told The ENQUIRER.

“If she takes cocaine, the baby could suffer from a multitude of complications, both neurological and developmental- some of which could be life-threatening.�

The star’s family and friends remain optimistic she will overcome her physical and emotional problems.

“Nicole entered rehab early in the pregnancy, is being treated by top doctors, and is following their instructions to the letter,� says the insider.

But Dr. Aldo Morales, a renowned addiction psychiatrist from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., warns it won’t be easy for Nicole to stay clean.

“As a wealthy Hollywood personality, she is surrounded by people who cater to her and might find it hard to say not if she asks for drugs.

“If she wants to have a complete and lasting recovery, she needs to change her current environment- the people, places and activities in her life.�