Teratogen Child Development

A baby’s genes are determined at conception. If something is faulty at this stage, this can have a huge impact on the child’s development. This may be physical or intellectual. If a mother takes drugs or smokes when pregnant, there is an increased chance of delivering an underweight baby at birth. It can also lead to cognitive problems for the child as they get older.

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.

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.

Effects may vary depending on family structure, manifesting differently in individual family members; According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse both alcohol and drugs can have dramatic negative effects on a developing fetus. They have been linked with premature birth, decreased head circumference, brain functioning difficulties and low

It can cause substantial teratogenic effects early in gestation, during the embryonic stage. During the fetal period, abnormal growth and maturation, alterations in neurotransmitters and their receptors, and brain organization are direct effects caused by opioid abuse (Behnke & Smith, 2017). Continuous use of opioids throughout pregnancy increases the risk of prematurity and growth retardation, deficits in attention, cognition, and behavior, neonatal morbidity and mortality, and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) (McQueen, Murphy-Oikonen, & Desaulniers, 2015).

The rest of the United States have no specific laws. These laws were made by taking in account the risk of fetuses dying minutes after birth, being born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), heart defects, weak immune system etc. Additionally, there can also be long-term effects as stated in “March of Dimes”such as learning and behavior problems, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and slower-than-normal growth problems (Street). The first weeks of a drug dependent baby are like an old wooden roller coaster full of trembles and thrills but in this case the thrills are not the pleasant ones. In article published by “Daily Mail,” it shows a disturbing video of a baby’s feet shaking vigorously. This is the kind of heart moving evidence that needs to be shown to society to grasp the depth of this

Even though there are many studies that highlight the damaging effects of maternal alcohol use on a fetus in utero, there are a multitude of other substances that are used by pregnant mothers that have similar and even, in some cases, more extreme repercussions such as marijuana, heroin, and cocaine. When speaking about pregnancy and drug use, the most common drug that comes to mind is alcohol. During 12 years of schooling, most people are exposed, at one point or another, to the idea of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the detrimental effects of alcohol on a fetus in utero. The effects of maternal use of the aforementioned illicit drugs is less studied, partially because they are used less frequently. It is important, however, that as a population, we become more educated about these drugs and the potentially life threatening outcomes for babies in utero.

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).

As a child is developing in the womb, its development can be affected at this time, for instance if the mother smokes or uses drugs or excessive

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).

The first two weeks of pregnancy are a critical time during this period major organs start the development process. The use of illegal drugs such as, methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin during pregnancy can potentially lead to a profound effect on both mother and baby. The drugs can be transmitted from the mother to baby through the placenta. As a result, mother could suffer a miscarriage, premature labor and hemorrhaging, additionally her ability to make rational decisions can be impaired. Potential effects for the baby; low birth weight, organs not properly functioning,

As previously mentioned, environmental factors, such as exposure to taratogens, can affect the development of the unborn child. Broderick and Blewitt (2105) define a teratogen as “substances or agents that can cross the placental barrier and produce fetal deformities when taken or absorbed by the mother during pregnancy” (p.619). These substances include drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, pollution, stress hormones, poor nutrition, and diseases, such as AIDS. Consumption of drugs and/or alcohol can lead to low birth weight, as well as, physical, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities. Furthermore, more recent studies are showing that exposure to pollutants can affect an individual’s development. For example, a study of the

When a pregnant woman uses drugs she affects the fetus. Scientist have studied facts about the babies born from marijuana users were shorter, weighed less, and had smaller head sizes than those born from the mothers who did not use the drug. When a baby is smaller than its average size the health of the baby has more of a risk to it than an average sized baby. Drug abuse has negative effects on the fetus because they are transferred from the placenta to the fetus which harms the birth of the baby. If a pregnant woman is taking in drugs she is making it harder for the unborn to breath and most of the drugs can cause a miscarriage. If the mother is smoking heroine while having a child, the child can become immune to that drug and become dependant on it. PCP and LSD can lead to various problems for the child such as, low birth weight, poor muscle control, brain damage, and withdrawal syndrome if they are used frequently.