Pregnancy Is A Standard Step

With access to prescription drugs, people are able to treat a multitude of diseases and illnesses. These drugs help deal with pain, inability to sleep, depression, and much more. Every day we are increasingly living in a world where there is better living through chemicals. However, what most do not seem to see is the rising tide of pain, illness, and ultimately death being caused by the pills people take every day. Most keep drugs in a special place in their minds, where they see them as harmless. Sadly, this is not the case, and in some cases our prescription drugs can be just as harmful as illegal drugs (King 68).

Most women are unaware of the risks associated with taking prescription medications while pregnant. Usually the fear

Millions of people throughout the world are taking drugs on a daily basis. If you were to ask someone why they take prescription drugs, most people would be taking them for the right reason. However, it’s estimated that twenty percent of people in the United States alone have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.1 Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem that often goes unnoticed. Abusing these drugs can often lead to addiction and even death. You can develop an addiction to certain drugs that may include: narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.1 Prescription drugs are the most common abused category of drugs, right next to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and

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.

An abrupt cessation of opioids during pregnancy can lead to many severe complications, affecting both mother and fetus. Poor fetal outcomes may be seen due to this discontinuation of opioids such as an increased risk of intrauterine passage of meconium and neonatal aspiration, preterm labor and birth, fetal growth restriction, as well as fetal distress or demise (Keough & Fantasia, 2017). There is also an increased risk of placenta previa, placental abruption, premature rupture of membranes, and postpartum hemorrhage, all maternal high-risk factors (Shaw et al., 2016). Therefore, it is detrimental to educate woman of the child-bearing age of these dangers prior to their attempt to conceive.

For example, when people who abuse oxycodone (OxyContin) they crush and inhale the pills, a 12-hour dose hits their central nervous system all at once—which increases their risk of addiction and overdose. Almost every medication presents some risk of undesirable side effects, sometimes even serious ones. Doctors consider the potential benefits and risks to each patient before prescribing medications. They understand that drugs affect the body in many ways and take into account things like the drug’s form and dose, its possible side effects, and the potential for addiction or withdrawal. For example, doctors know how to change the dose of a painkiller to prevent withdrawal symptoms. People who abuse drugs might not

Morris, M., Seibold, C., & Webber, R. (2012, April). Drugs and having babies: An exploration of how a specialist clinic meets the needs of chemically dependent pregnant women. Midwifery, 28(2), 163-72. Retrieved from http://ebscohost.com.ezproxy.hsc.usf.edu/ehos

As reported previously, more than 30% of us have used two or more prescription drugs in the past 30 days. Furthermore, more than 10% of us have used five or more prescription drugs during this time. Many of us may even be using OTC drugs alongside these. But do we know what this cocktail of medication is doing to our health?

Each year in the United States over 45% of pregnancies are unintended, many of these occur in young adults (Manlove, Welti, Wildsmith, & Barry, 2014; Curtis et al., 2016). In addition to the already high percentage of unintended pregnancies, women who have had one unintended pregnancy are at an even greater risk for another pregnancy making contraceptives highly important for these women (Yu & Hu, 2013). Contraceptives for women are important in order to

This author goes into great depth in telling what these medications are and what they do. She even goes as far as to tell how much pharmacies profit from patients pain and addiction. Although overdose is a concern with these medications, pain can also cause some people to contemplate suicide. This made medical professionals step back and ask themselves what would be the best way to save a life in that particular situation. (Kirkey-3). Although Kirkey talks about the risk

Many people might wonder why kids are born differently than what most consider “normal.” Multiple substances are effects that cause these fetus to develop wrong and not in usual routine that is normally seen in pregnancies. If a pregnant woman chose the wrong temptation and consumed substances that are known to cause damage and can be fatal to a baby, these mothers are making the worst mistake of taking the life of their own child away before the baby can experience what life is. Carrying a baby in the womb is one of the most heaviest challenges a woman can face and many females go wrong by falling into various temptations by not having enough information in pregnancies and going on with their daily lifestyle instead of learning about instant fetal deaths.

Substance abuse has been a worldwide problem at all levels of society since the beginning of time. Attention has been made toward the use of legal and illegal substance by pregnant women over the past several decades. Almost all drugs are known to cross the placenta and have some effect on the fetus. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2013) the first studies of the effect of substances consumed by a pregnant women to the developing fetus were identified in the 1960’s of prenatal tobacco use. These studies opened the door to further research and studies. The effects of Alcohol and opiate use have been studied since the 1970’s (Jones, Smith, 1973) and the effects of a variety of other drugs have been studied since 1979 and early 1980’s (Flinnegan, 1979).

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a common class of analgesic typically used chronically for pain such as musculoskeletal pain including osteoarthritis. It is commonly used in the elderly population.

Identification of pregnant women who are addicted to opioids facilitates provision of opioid-assisted therapy with methadone. Maternal nutrition can contribute positively to the delivery of a healthy, full-term newborn of an appropriate weight. The recommended dietary allowances for most vitamins and minerals increase during pregnancy. Therefore, provision of dietary supplements to incarcerated pregnant and breastfeeding women is recommended, as is access to a nutritious diet and timely and regular meals.

Millions of Americans take daily medications or supplements to treat both chronic and acute conditions. This can include prescriptions, vitamins, drops and over-the-counter remedies. During this time of the year, many of us also take over-the-counter medications to treat cold, flu and allergy symptoms that might otherwise keep us out of commission. What we may not realize, however, is that any medication we put into our systems – particularly if we combine it with alcohol or another medicine – could possibly impair us, leaving us with slowed response times, profound sleepiness and an inability to safely operate a vehicle.