A Brief Note On Drug Use On Infants

Substance abuse during pregnancy can have a negative force on the health and wellness of not only the fetus, but that of the mother. The harmful effects of medications, alcohol and illegal drugs on an unborn child can be devastating and can have significant consequences to its use. Sometimes the effects can be faced and treated, and other times the outcome is a lifelong challenge. During the prenatal period, it is important that new mothers are informed of the different types of abuse, how they may affect the fetus, and the adverse conditions their child may be faced with before and after birth.

Many researches are educating pregnant women about the danger of cigarettes, alcohol and the potential negative effects of cigarettes, alcohol on fetus development. However, scarce research directly addresses specific effects of marijuana on pregnant women because women who use marijuana also tend to smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and more likely to use other drugs such as cocaine and heroin. Thus, it is difficult to identify the precise effects of marijuana on pregnant women and on a fetus (Leemaqz, 2016.). Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United State (Murray & McKinney, 2014). According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 40-60% of marijuana users continue to use during pregnancy. Studies have also shown that marijuana crosses the placenta negatively affecting brain development, and increasing the risk of pre-term birth. Proposition 64, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative for adult use just passed after the election, California is added into the list of 26 states legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational purpose which could increase the number of women using marijuana during pregnancy. Due to above evidences, doctors warn pregnant women, women planning to pregnancy and breastfeeding women that they should discontinue their use of marijuana and should consider alternative therapy.

I would like to research if women should face criminal charges for using drugs while pregnant. Women who use substances while pregnant is a serious social and health issue. Prenatal exposure to substances can lead to a number of medical, physical and behavioral problems for the child. Many women who use drugs while pregnant become involved with the legal system and face criminal prosecution, child abuse and neglect charges.

Through the years, substance misuse in the United States has turned into an industrious issue influencing numerous people. In 2008, it was assessed that 17.8 million Americans beyond 18 years old where substance subordinate. Women who use medications during pregnancy can have an enduring impact on fetal. Medications can have an impact of maternal and child wellbeing, yet there are a lot of different variables, which influence it, poor social environment, nourishment, cleanliness, and sexual abuse. Regenerative interruption connected with heroin utilization has been shown in both and women and even low dosages of opiates can impede ordinary ovarian capacity and ovulation. The harm that goes hand in hand with substance utilization comes either straightforwardly from the impact of the medication itself or from issues identified with development and/or unexpected labor. The entanglements of jumbling components clamorous way of life, poor nourishment, liquor utilization and cigarette smoking influence the appraisal of the impacts of cocaine in pregnancy. In obstetric practice, 100% of pregnant women utilizing cocaine or heroin are cigarette smokers. Cigarette smoking is presumably the most well known manifestation of substance utilizes and is noteworthy corresponding considering ladies who use unlawful medications. Babies whose moms smoked in pregnancy have a tendency to have lower conception weights and diminished length, cranial and thoracic

The use of controlled substances throughout pregnancy is a very prevalent issue among society today. Controlled substances have devastating effects on not only the mothers using the substances, but also infants while they are in utero and after they are born. Many infants born to mothers, who are abusing drugs, suffer from life threatening illnesses and are forever affected through adulthood. Specifically, heroin is a common drug form that is often used during pregnancy and results in the life threatening effects mentioned above.

Smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy could lead to the placenta not developing fully. As the placenta carries oxygen and blood to the foetus this may impair growth and link to low birth weights. Babies born to smoking mothers are 30% more likely to have a premature baby which could lead to respiratory distress, problems feeding and they could have difficulty regulating their body temperature. Babies undergo withdrawal like systems and tend to be more jittery and harder to settle. Babies being brought up in a smoking household are at increased risk of cot death and may go on to develop asthma during childhood.

The data showed that between 2009 and 2010, 16.2 percent of women between the ages of 15-17 years old, 7.4 percent of women between the ages of 18-25 years old, and 1.9 percent of women between the ages of 26-44 years old had used illicit drugs while pregnant. The data also showed substance abuse during pregnancy among different ethnic and racial groups. African Americans had the highest percentage in 2010 at 10.7 percent. The next highest was the White population at 9.1 percent. Hispanics or Latino’s percentage was 8.1 percent and the Asian population had the lowest percentage at 3.5 percent (“Results from”, 2011).

Four percent of women in the United States have reported using drugs during pregnancy (Jutras-Aswad, DiNieri, Harkany, & Hurd, 2009). According to records, marijuana is the most commonly used drug during pregnancy (Jutras-Aswad et al., 2009). Of the four percent of women who claimed that they used a drug during their pregnancy, 75% of those individuals labeled marijuana as their drug of choice (Jutras-Aswad et al., 2009). The percentage of users during pregnancy jumps to 7% when users included the times they used marijuana while breastfeeding (Hayatbakhsh et al., 2011). Genetics plays a role in how maternal cannabis intake can

In the United States, there has been a growing concern for the number of newborn children that have been exposed to drugs while in utero. The defenseless fetus is subject to any and all substances that the mother ingests, injects, or inhales into her body. Significantly decreased gestational ages as well as low birth weight have been linked to infants that have been born to mothers who are engaging in substance abuse. Marijuana, cocaine, cigarettes, methamphetamine, heroin, and alcohol are some of the more widely abused substances among pregnant mothers (Bailey, McCook, Hodge, & McGrady, 2012).

“Since 1985 about 250 Women in 30 states have been criminally prosecuted in relation to drug abuse while pregnant.” (Coles, par 16) Since there isn’t a law in place for a woman being convicted for drinking or smoking while pregnant, they dig a little deeper and get more technical. Charges for unlawful child neglect, delivering drugs to a minor, homicide by child abuse and even manslaughter have been given to mothers who abuse drugs or alcohol while pregnant. Some even believe in terminating the woman’s parental rights. Whether or not the child shows signs before birth, they have started to test newborns for drugs and prosecute from there. (NAPW, par 33-35)

Many women, including teens, abuse drugs while they are pregnant. This rate is especially high to those who are homeless, underprivileged, or live in a broken home. In order for drug abusers to even have a chance at beating their addiction they have to have support whether it’s family, friends, or boyfriend/spouse. They must also let the abuser now all the consequences to themselves and the unborn child. There are many consequences when using drugs during pregnancy such as miscarriage, health risks to baby, and health risks to the mother. And learning disabilities and brain damage to the fetus.

Infants born from mothers that smoked are three times more likely to die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), a condition in which babies who appears healthy die suddenly while sleeping, as are babies whose mothers do not smoke during pregnancy. This is also a point of contention between researchers as well. "Children born to mothers who smoked while pregnant, and possibly children whose grandmothers smoked while pregnant, have a higher risk of developing childhood asthma (Child)." Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to be born with birth defects such as cleft lip or palate and to have low birth weight.

Substance abuse during pregnancy can range in variation from prescription drugs to non-prescription drugs to even alcohol. Substance abuse is more common during pregnancy than most people realize. This type of abuse is more common amongst pregnant women. Most the time substance abuse is hard to find in women. Pregnant women who go through substance abuse usually don’t seek any medical help. If an expecting mother uses any kind of drug it can result in many complications. Some complications that are a result of substance abuse include: stillbirths, miscarriages, premature labor and even complications that can affect the child later on in life. Pregnant women who also give birth to children addicted to drugs can face a wide variety of

There are many researches educating pregnant women about the danger of cigarettes, alcohol and women are also aware of the potential negative effects of cigarettes, alcohol on fetus development. However, not many the data or research addresses specific effects of marijuana on pregnancy women because women who use marijuana also tend to smoke cigarettes and are more likely to use other drugs such as cocaine and alcohol. Thus, it is difficult to identify the precise effects of marijuana on pregnant women and fetus (Leemaqz, 2016.). Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United State (Murray & McKinney, 2014). According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 40-60% of marijuana users continue to use during pregnancy. Studies have shown that marijuana crosses the placenta producing negatively affect brain development, and significant increases the risk of pre-term birth. Proposition 64, the California Marijuana Legalization Initiative for adult use just passed after election, California is added into the list of 26 states legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational purpose which could increase the number of women using marijuana during pregnancy even higher in the future studies. Due to above evidences, doctors warn pregnant women or women planning to pregnancy or breastfeeding women should discontinue use of marijuana and should consider alternative therapy.

Tobacco exposure is linked to the low birth rate, premature birth, and sudden infant death syndrome (Zhou et al., 2014) It is reported that twice as many mothers who are exposed to second hand smoke or smoke themselves give birth to underweight babies. The size of an infant’s head is decreased due to prenatal tobacco exposure.