Should drug addicted mothers be sterilized ?

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmhealth/1021/1021we49.htm “Ideas about human rights have evolved over many centuries. But they achieved strong international support following the Holocaust and World War II. To protect future generations from a repeat of these horrors, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948 and invited states to sign and ratify it”

In today’s society people are talking about babies being born to drugs, and how could a mother do that to their unborn child. Drug addiction is a very serious issue that needs more research. We are still learning the effects of substance abuse. One problem that needs to be looked at is are there enough Rehabilitation Centers, to help the women who are addicted to these different street drugs. Also doctor and nurses should not judge these women but instead give them the best prenatal care that can be provided. We need to see what harm and side affects it has on the mother and baby, so that we can be able to understand better how to treat these women and get them off drugs before they do harm their babies.

It is my opinion that punishing these women for addictive behavior is not the answer, especially when considering the severe overcrowding of the prison system nationwide and the strain on the economy already caused by this. My own view is that addiction not a crime, but is a disease and needs to be treated as such. These women don’t become pregnant and then become addicts, but they are addicts who become pregnant. The American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the March of Dimes and the American Medical Association, -- are all against punishing addicted pregnant women. Treating addicted, pregnant women and their babies can create many complicated issues, both legally and ethically. In states where reporting the drug use of the pregnant woman is mandated, many are concerned about the significant negative outcome that might be

Substance Abuse and Women 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

British North America Act 1867 • This act occurred on July 1st, 1867 the law The British North America Act is important in Canadian history because it is the 1867 Act which officially created the new country of Canada by joining together the four provinces of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova

How would one feel if one found out that their newborn child has birth defect such as mental retardation or seizures just hours of being born, that their babies cannot live a normal life because of the decisions you made during the prenatal care? Is it really worth it? There has been an exponential increase in the amount of babies being exposed to drugs before they are even born in the United States. Further evidence sparks this controversial issue practically showing that drug use by pregnant women is evidently considered child abuse. By defining the necessity to realize the drastic consequences of a newborn being stimulated by prenatal drug ingestion, by refuting counterarguments that fear of legal ramifications will hinder pregnant women

A few United Nations representatives from Cuba, India, and Panama have wished to resolve the problem of genocide by recognizing it as an international crime, as stated in Document A. For example, inadequate provisions were placed when various Nazis were not punished for their wrongdoings. Nonetheless, this is seen as a negative aspect; however, it should be seen as motivation for others to strive to prevent further acts of genocide by punishing it as an international crime and create international laws. Since the late 1940s the United Nations has brought forth countless amounts of articles and documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Document E), which includes various articles that back up specific rights such as the right to life, liberty, and security of person, for these rights have since then helped prevent acts of genocide. It is through international laws where genocide will be ceased by making it an international crime, where it will assure international cooperation for its prevention and be dealt with its true deserving

Drug-addicted women are the stakeholders in this dilemma. Drug-addicted or former drug-addicted women are being pressured into thinking that controlling their fertility is the only way in which to not be considered a horrible person or bad mothers. No one should be allowed to try to persuade women to give up their reproductive rights. Just because some women choose to use drugs or alcohol does not mean that they are not responsible enough to make proper health or parenting decisions on their own, they especially do not need monetary incentives to make sound decisions. “Evidence suggests that women who use drugs do not need to be paid to limit or end their fertility” (Olsen, 2014). Preferably, programs should try to minimize the barriers that these women have to face in order to obtain information. Organizations should be non-discriminating and non judgmental towards women’s reproductive health.

The rationality of those who support the punishment of addicted mothers focus on the idea that maternal conduct could lead to potential detrimental effects upon the fetus and that prosecution of such behavior would serve as both retribution for the fetus and as a deterrent. Whereas those who advocate for the pregnant women view this rational as not only impermissible but also unconstitutional as in current legal standing the fetus has no rights that usurp those of the pregnant woman (Stone-Manista, 2009, pp.823-856). Advocates also suggests that the breadth of forces that lead to drug use in pregnant women have a prevalent cultural and social foundation that the proponents for deterrence and retribution ignore in favor of strict scrutiny. This conflict between women’s rights and fetal rights has caused a paradigm in the prosecution of pregnant drug users as the interpretation of criminal sanctions argues over the definition of ‘child’ as encompassing fetuses in the definition would then lay the foundation for punishment for a woman’s conduct during pregnancy (Stone-Magnets, 2009, pp.823-856). Though currently it is unconstitutional and legally impermissible to prosecute women with state child abuse statutes in regards to drug use during pregnancy; advocates of fetal rights continue to follow

“Fifty-six percent of women surveyed reported being pressured by medical professional to prevent ”The rate of sterilization found in this study was twenty-three percent overall, is slightly less than the twenty-five percent rate found in the previous similar study” (Boroditsky, Fisher and Sand). “Minority women, who more frequently experience unintended pregnancy, may choose tubal sterilization in response to prior experiences with an unintended pregnancy” (Unintended Pregnancy …). Doctors should not sterilize anyone who is not able to make the decision on their own and let them decide for them self. “Take steps to ensure all women enjoy full sexual and reproductive rights and have access to full range of acceptable reproductive health service” (Forced sterilization).

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld in the past that a person cannot be prosecuted for being a drug addict. People can be prosecuted for the sale or possession of an illegal drug but prosecuting someone for the illness of drug addiction is a breach of the 8th Amendment’s bar on cruel punishment. Usually cases involving pregnant drug-addicted women arise when a doctor reports that a woman tested positive or appears to have a drug problem. Rarely are there cases where the woman is arrested for possession and then charged with child abuse. For example, if I told my doctor I had a drug addiction, I wouldn’t get reported. Just as

Human rights - they are an ongoing issue in the world today, with the constant struggle against violation. The United Nations has accepted 30 articles on human rights, which help protect millions from political, social, and legal abuses (UDHR). Even with the insistence from the world’s leaders to follow and honor these rights, violation is common and provides a serious threat to people all over the world. One example of a violation of human rights such as equality and safety in possessions is shown through the issue of Japanese American internment camps (UDHR).

This Act will have different parts and supervisors to ensure everything is running properly. It will “monitor states to ensure that each one's policies and procedures meet requirements to improve outcomes among infants born and identified as being affected by substance abuse or withdrawal symptoms or a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder” (Plan of Safe Care Improvement Act, 2016, Paragraph 1). It will help the states in regarding the requirements and the best ways to create a better development for a child and for the plans of the safe care. Monitoring of who this act applies to would be “done by the Secretary” (Barletta, 2016, Page 1). There will also be multiple steps taken when finding out a child is “drug-dependent” and how to develop a plan for it. First, the child service will identify unborn and born infants at risk of child abuse and neglect which results in prenatal substance exposure. Second, child service will decide the appropriate services that can be delivered, ensuring the safety and well-being of infants, their mothers and their families. They will also decide if the family keeps the child or not. Overall, the bill will address the health and substance use disorder treatment for the child, and the family or affected caregiver involved, and provide a solution for the caregiver and the

People do take drugs and some of them stop taking it eventually. I am worried about the long-term effect that sterilisation may have on ex-addicts who took the cash and went for sterilisation. Now, they may regret it

Should a pregnant woman be punished for exposing her fetus to risk? The question about whether pregnant women are liable for subjecting their unborn children to risk has yet to be properly addressed. One state South Carolina has been on the forefront of this issue. The