What happened to Regina Mcknight? unfortunate, this does not happens often and the frequency affects far too many lives, but in no case is it the fault of mother. No law that man conceives can ever change the sad fact that women are the victim of addiction. Any mother will knowingly sacrifice themselves for their children, this fact is instinctive and hereditary. Therefore, no law or course of disciplinary action has the ability to overdrive a woman's instinctive nature to protect their infant, the issue is the drug itself.
The damage that occurs when a pregnant woman consumes a lethal drug is not only psychological, it is physical affecting the protein receptors causing irreversible corruptions, even if only taken once (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2004). What Society fails to recognize is that these actions are in no means intentional, no functional being wants to live in the constant line of disparity having their stomach fail and hallucinating demonic apparitions. The effects of drugs on children are well known, such as the common phrase “Crack baby” connotates, one has their senses disconfigured having to live in a world when prepared for another. If cocaine were to be ingested during the first trimester the effects are truly fatal commonly leading to death or other serious health hazards such as the child's inability to live unsupported (American Pregnancy Association 2011). Consequently, if the expecting mother decides to use drugs well after the first trimester the fetus will exhibit subtle, but permanent effects from the drugs still being able to function normally but well below what is considered average. However, for the case of a mother suddenly deciding to use drugs goes against basic instinctive ...
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NAS has turned into an epidemic espicially in the state of Tennessee a little more than 320 babies were born with NAS in 2013. Tennessee was the first state to start keeping track of the number of cases of NAS. NAS occurs when pregnant women take drugs such as heroin, codeine, oxycodone, methadone, or buprenorphine (“Babies are being born addicted to drugs”). This happens when the substances pass through the placenta that connects the baby to its mother. Then the baby becomes dependent on the drug like the mother. Hospitals began treating these cases with morphine, by administering a dosage of morphine every few hours as needed and reducing the dosage until the baby was better. During this process doctors need to keep a look out for the babies since the morphine can cause them to stop breathing. A baby born with NAS usually suffers from low birth weight and respiratory problems. Heroin and cocaine are some of the most common drugs being abused, and they both have short and long term effects other than withdrawal symptoms: Such as ph...
During the late 1970’s a movement began with state prosecutors using child abuse, endangerment statues and charges of provisions of drugs to a minor to prosecute pregnant women who used illicit substances during their pregnancies. The prosecution of a pregnant heroine user in the State of California with a felony child endangerment charge was one of the first of such prosecutions in 1977 (Stone-Manista, 2009, pp.823-856). This was the catalyst for the often biased punishment of pregnant drug addicts under the scope of the law. It is this vein of prosecution that struck ...
The effects on caffeine during pregnancy were explained and detailed. I explained the causes and effects on caffeine and the major dangers that affect the offspring. Caffeine is the most dangerous cause of danger in pregnancy and their offspring. It can infect the metabolism, the fetal, and can cause miscarriages. The blood flow can easily be decreased by having to much caffeine and can in danger the baby.
Langham, Ph.D., R. Y. "What Are the Causes of Teenage Pregnancy?" livestrong.com. N.p., 16 Aug. 2013. Web. 26 Dec. 2013.
Some people argue that the drug users aren’t the heroin victims. One writer notes, 'The parents of the user who steals from them, abuses them, physically, emotionally and mentally, the siblings who suffer the loss of care and love but who also get abused and used by the user, the kids of the user who learn that the parent's desire for smack is greater than the desire to be a parent,' are the real heroin victims (Fitzgerald, 2000). This problem therefore effects not only the user but the society living around them as well.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2013). Healthy people 2020 topics & objectives: Tobacco use. Viewed at http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/TopicsObjectives2020/ObjectivesList.aspx?topicid=41#286842 .
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a group of problems a newborn experiences when exposed to addictive drugs that the mother consumes during pregnancy. NAS is a growing concern in the United States and can have significant adverse effects on newborns. Shortly after birth, the infant can display many physical symptoms of withdrawal. In addition, substance abuse during pregnancy can cause premature birth, low birth weight, seizures, birth defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and possible long-term cognitive and behavioral problems. The 2010 results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings reported incidence of substance abuse among pregnant women within the United States....
Just as drugs such as marijuana, cocaine, and crystal meth affect the mother, it also affects the child. Babies that are born to drug using mothers are called “drug babies” and just like their mother they become addicted to the drugs causing behavior problems during their childhood. They can also have birth defects, premature birth, and are usually underweight. Babies that are born to cocaine using mothers are called “crack babies” and they face the risk of a stroke leading to brain damage. Teratogenic medications such as some antibiotics, cancer fighting medicines, blood thinners, and acne fighting medicines such as Accutane can all cause birth
Cocaine is an illegal drug that can be either smoked in a crack form, or inhaled in a powder form. According to Charles F. Levinthal, cocaine is a stimulant that increases the production of dopamine in the brain. Along with the desired feeling resulting from the increasing dopamine levels, there are many other things taking place inside of the body after intake not only for the user, but also for the growing organism inside of the user (2005). While the drug is in affect in the body (for about 20 to 30 minutes), Laura E. Berk’s research has found that cocaine constricts the user’s blood vessels causing oxygen delivered to the developing organism to fall dramatically for 15 minutes following a high dose (2003). This depravation of oxygen to the developing baby is one of the causes of damage. One of the problems that can result from cocaine ...
In conclusion, women with a history of gestational diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the future. By following health interventions they are able to decrease the chance and can avoid the development of diabetes. Abiding by these healthy lifestyle changes increases quality of life of both mom and infant.
The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome triples if the mother has smoked during pregnancy. “It is estimated that twenty-five percent of expectant mothers in the U.S. smoke throughout their pregnancies. According to a report from the Surgeon General, twenty percent of low birth weight births, either percent of preterm deliveries and five percent of all perinatal could be prevented by eliminating smoking during pregnancy.”
The addicted individuals need to be aware of the services that are available for them and their children during and after their addictive stages. The abuse that some of these children endure can start at the earliest stages of their lives. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome begins to effect the child while it is still in its mother’s womb. This disease not only effects the child physically, but emotionally and intellectually. Many parents continue to abuse substances while they are knowingly pregnant.
...just being around a person that does can cause harm to a mother’s fetus. Women need to know that smoking can cause miscarriages, premature birth, and other damage to a baby. Before women that smoke decide to make the decision of getting pregnant, they should research all the harmful effects that smoking has on a fetus. If pregnant smokers were to halt tobacco use a total of 986 infant deaths would be averted annually. This validates the need for infusion of more resources into existing smoking cessation campaigns in order to achieve higher quit rates, and substantially diminish current levels of smoking-associated infant deaths (Salihu, Aliyu, Pierre-Louis, & Alexander, 2003). The only way a woman can avoid pregnancy complications associated with smoking is to quit and she should also avoid others who smoke in order to avoid the dangers of second hand smoke.
Chambers, C. D., Polifka, J. E., & Friedman, J. M. (2008). Drug safety in pregnant women and their babies: ignorance not bliss. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 83(1), 181-183.
Ygoy (2008). Causes and Effects of Teenage Pregnancy. Retrieved on 10th July 2011 from http://pregnancy.ygoy.com/unplanned-pregnancy/causes-and-effects-of-teenage-pregnancy/