Substance Abuse While Pregnant

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.

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.

This issue has plagued state lawmakers since the late 1980’s and many remain at odds over how to approach the problem. Some states have attempted to criminalize prenatal drug use or treat it as grounds for terminating parental rights, while others have placed a priority on making drug treatment more readily available to pregnant women. The issue shows the difficulty policymakers face in attempting to balance the autonomy and bodily integrity of pregnant women with society’s interest in ensuring the birth of healthy children. For advocated of women’s reproductive rights, it raises the question of whether the state can ever be justified in regulating a pregnant woman’s behavior in the interest of protecting her fetus and whether such policies potentially undermine the legality of

In 2009, the Journal of American Medical Association wrote that at least 13,000 infants will be born dependent on some sort of substance, and DrugRehab.org says that eight million children have a parent that is addicted to substances as well. Now, most laws do protect the baby from a drug addicted mother, mainly in the event of a stillborn. While having a baby with brain damages and problems caused by the mother’s substance abuse, the mother will also suffer complications during childbirth (Sarah Blustain). Barry Lester found that 320,000 pregnant women suffer from alcoholism or the use of drugs. He views that their punishment is based on what society deems is criminally wrong and believes it is a disease that should be treated at a mental health facility not prison or jail(Drug-addicted mothers need treatment, not punishment). Drug addicted mothers, pregnant or not, pose a threat to a child’s safety, and therefore, should be punished.

According to Substance use during pregnancy: time for policy to catch up with research, “The drug war has included treatment of addicts and prevention but the emphasis has been on law enforcement; control at the source, interdiction, arrest, prosecution, imprisonment and seizure of assets (Lester, Andreozzi, & Appiah, 2004).” In other words the focus on the fight against drugs has been punishment. Many people view pregnant drug users as child abusers, child neglectors, and even murderers. In a lot of cases this is true. There are thousands of children today who suffer the consequences for their parents actions. In many places, women lose their children or end up in behind bars (Miranda, Dixon, & Reyes, 2015). Tennessee is the only state that considers it a crime to use drugs while pregnant (Miranda, Dixon, & Rayes, 2015). On the other hand, Alabama and South Carolina’s high courts have interpreted existing child endangerment and chemical endangerment statutes in order to prosecute drug-using pregnant women and new mothers (Miranda, Dixon, & Rayes, 2015). The main

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

When a child is affected from the mother using drugs during gestation, the child suffers for an infinite amount of time, so states should consider rethinking the laws to better support the child, not the mother. A child suffers with a numerous number of issues for eternity whenever his or her mother uses drugs during pregnancy. On the other hand, a child that is effected should have the rights to not live with the person who harmed him. Child abuse should be illegal in every state, not just the few that have made it illegal, and the mother should be tried and prosecuted. Along with keeping the child safe, prosecuting the mother also ensures the child to having a better life. The child will not have to worry about being made fun of, suffering from terminal diseases, and losing a parent to drug use. The child is more likely to live a healthier life if law enforcement can do away with the drug using mother. The laws that are in effect today are not feasible in most circumstances. The laws do not push through enough, and they are not strong enough to keep the drugs away from the child. That being said, more children are being affected day by day. The enforcement of the laws against prenatal drug abuse, in the United States, is important to the children of

In March 2015, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed a bill that identifies it as child abuse if a mother uses drugs and in turn harms her fetus. (Guttmacher, 2015). Should the bill pass in the Arkansas Senate, it calls to allow a judge to sentence a pregnant woman to substance abuse treatment in lieu of being convicted and sentenced.” (Guttmacher, 2015). Arkansas is 1 of 18 states that considers it child abuse to ingest drugs during pregnancy. (Guttmacher, 2015). We are also 1 of 12 states that “has a targeted program created” which allows for a pregnant woman to be sentenced to rehab instead of jail time. Arkansas does not require mandatory reporting when substance abuse is suspected during pregnancy, nor do we require testing. (Guttmacher, 2015). I was very surprised to see that only Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota and North Dakota require testing. (Guttmacher, 2015). Arkansas also does not give pregnant women priority access in general treatment programs or protect them from discrimination in publicly funded programs. The majority of states, along with Arkansas, only address this subject with punitive consequences.

Substance abuse is a prominent psychiatric disorder that continues to be one of the main complex issues impacting public health today (Hser, Lanza, Li, Kahn, Evans, & Schulte, 2013). Children affected by maternal substance misuse of are at high risk for a wide variety of negative outcomes including: emotional, developmental, social, cognitive, and behavioral issues as well as challenges in academic functioning (Stamler & Yiu, 2012). The main reason these children are at risk is because from conception to throughout their childhood, their environment has been compromised by an accumulation of social determinants of health. These may include poverty, low maternal education, instability of income, poor

In the United States, prenatal substance use continues to be a widespread problem with the addictive substances used during pregnancy; the risk factors, and the long-term effects a baby can have. When a pregnant woman uses drugs, she and her unborn child face serious health problems. Long-term effects of drugs on babies can include behavioral problems as they grow older. They can also be born addicted to the drugs used to treat the mother’s addiction. The task at hand is to make sure that we view all drugs of abuse through a common lens, regardless of legal status, so that their impact on child outcome can be adequately assessed leading to appropriate policy

The goal of this policy is to provide the United States with information on ways to understand and change the current issue facing unborn children. This policy brief provides information on how the United States can provide protective rights to the fetus while also providing protective rights to the mother whom is consuming drugs while pregnant. The goal is also to provide ways for mothers whom are pregnant to receive counseling through their addictions and ultimately provide a better lifestyle for the mother and unborn child.

During the peak of the crack cocaine epidemic many states passed laws requiring medical professionals to report pregnant drug users to the relevant authorities. The foster care system became inundated with infants and children who were removed from the care of their mothers. Moreover, many mothers were prosecuted for child endangerment (Buck, 2017).

Growing up many of dream about that magical day when we become a mother. For all women this however may not be the case. Some may be knowing ingesting illegal substances, while others are just plain unaware of the damage that they are doing to their unborn babies. Before ever becoming pregnant the mother may have injured herself and was placed on prescription pain relievers to control the pain. Over time the mother becomes addicted to them not even thinking about what her use could do to her future children if she doesn’t stop.

Most pregnant mothers are not provided with the proper care and treatment when treating substance abuse. According to the American

Of the 4 million women who become pregnant each year, at least 20% smoke cigarettes, 19% drink alcohol, 20% use legal drugs, and 10% use illicit drugs during their pregnancy. Approximately 26 million Americans will suffer with a substance abuse problem during their lifetime. The incidence of substance abuse among women of reproductive