EffectsofDrugsandAlcoholonanUnbornChild

KylemNichols

SeniorResearchPaper SonjaLinman April20,2013

Outlline Thesis:Theeffectsofdrugsandalcoholonadevelopingfetusaretremendousbecausethese substancesareenteringthebabysbrainleavingthemwithwithmissingdevelopmental necessities,thereforeournationshouldbecrackingdownmoreondisciplineforthemothersof thesechildrenandgettingthemhelp. I)Wheneverafetusisexposedtoanydrugsoralcohol,manythingsareaffected. A)10daysafterconception,neuraltubeformsintobrainandspine 1)Toxinsstopprocess 2)Ifstopped,anencephalycanoccur a)Bornwithoutbrainorhasverylittlefunctions 3)Diewithinhoursorstillborn II)Alcoholhasbeenthereasonforplentyofissuesinmanypeopleaswellasaccidents A)Alcoholstrongeronfetus 1)Womenbuzzed,more2Xamountforbabybecauseitissosmall B)Everythingmomtakesgoestobaby 1)Throughumbilicalcord 2)MaycauseFASD III)FASDisanoveralltermusedtocategorizeacoupledifferentproblems A)Standsforfetalalcoholspectrumdisorder 1)40,000diagnosedayear 2)Costingnation$4billion B)FAS 1)Fetalalcoholsyndrome a)Growthdeficiencies,facialdifferences,centralnervoussystemdamage IV)Nearly4%ofpregnantwomanhavebeenreportedusingheroinduringtheirterm A)Notfiguredoutfulleffects 1)Nowaytotellexactly B)Heroinpassesthroughplacenta 1)Bloodlevels50100%mothersdruglevel C)Canleadtostillborn,prematurebirth,badgrowth D)Waterbreak 1)Prematurebirth

E)Anydiseasesthatmomhaspassedtobaby 1)Passtobabyduringbirth a)HIV,syphilis,hepatitis F)45%chancesexposedbabieshavemajorbirthdefect V)Marijuanaisanotherdrugthatwomenuseduringpregnancy A)Causecognitiveandsocialproblems 1)Antisocial 2)LowIQ B)Physicaldifferences 1)Smallheadcircumference C)Otherthings 1)Short/longtermmemoryloss 2)Poorjudgmentskills VI)Onecollegedidastudyoncrystalmethandtheeffectsithasonadevelopingfetus A)Cametoresults 1)Onedose:longtermdefects B)Babyhasn'tdevelopedenzymestofightoffbadradicals 1)DNAmoreacceptabletodamage 2)Developwhengetolder C)Otherdefects 1)Stillborn,premature,miscarriage,cleftpalates,lowbirthweight VII)Cocaineisanothercommonillicitdrug A)Significantdamage 1)Prematurebirthormiscarriage 2)AccordingtoAmericanCongressofObstetriciansandGynecology(ACOG) womanwhousecocaineduringpregnancyhave25%increasedchanceofpremature labor B)Exposedclosertobirth:becomeaddictedanddependent,gothroughwithdrawal 1)Smallerheadsizegrowthproblemsandlearningproblems C)AmericanPregnancyAssociation 1)Defectsofgenitals,kidneysandbrain VIII)Ababyisalivinghumanbeing A)Whyoktohurt?itsnot

B)Researchersusedtosaywineok 1)Discouragealcoholalltogether 2)Evensmalllevelcanalterbraindevelopmentandresultinlossof4IQpoints C)Laterinlife 1)Problems:attention,memory,problemsolving,hyperactivity,lackof coordination,actonimpulse D)2006,pregnantwomenages25to4411.8%usedalcoholwhilepregnant 1)Within,2.9%bingedrinking 2).7%heavydrinking IX)Wheneverawomaniscaughtusinganyillicitdrug,orputspeopleindangerwithbeingdrunk theygetarrestedandgotocourt. A)Someoneconvictedofafelonymayfacealengthyprisonsentenceaswellasfines, probation,communityserviceanddrugcounseling. 1)Thesechargesjustyou B)Usedtopregnantwomangetnothing 1)Notfairhurtinglifeofanotherhumanbeing 2)Crackingdownmore X)Notonlydoesdrugabusecostyourfamily,italsocoststheeconomy A)Annualcostofheroin 1)Medicalcare,lostproductivity,crimeandsocialwelfare a)$21.9billionin1996 B)Heroinalone 1)Notincludingmeth,marijuana,orcocaine 2)Onlyimaginealldrugstogether a)Drugrateatalltimehigh Conclusion Statisticssaythatachildwithdrugaddictedparentsaremorelikelytoabusedrugsandalcohol duetogeneticandenvironmentalfactors(HopeNetworks).Evenchildrenadoptedintodrug abusingfamiliesareatahigherrisk.Thisallprovesthatwomenwhotakedrugsoralcohol duringpregnancyareahugeriskforthelifeofthehumanbeinggrowinginsideofthem.These childrenwillbedamagedfortherestoftheirlivesdotoadecisionthattheirmothermade. Therefore,Thesewomenshouldbechargedwithchildendangermentandhavetohave mandatorydrugcounselingtoevenbeconsideredtohavecustodyoftheirchildren.

EffectsofDrugsandAlcoholonanUnbornChild

Alcoholanddrugsareadangeroussubstanceforanybodyatanytime,especiallyafetus. Theyhavebeenproventogivepeoplebriandeffects.Sowhenapregnantwomenisconsuming

alcohol,ordrugs,thefetusisindanger.Theeffectsofdrugsandalcoholonadevelopingfetus aretremendousbecausethesesubstancesareenteringthebaby'sdevelopingbrainand system,leavingthemwithmissingdevelopmentalnecessities,thereforethemothershouldbe chargedbythelawforchildendangerment. Wheneverafetusisexposedtoanydrugsoralcohol,manythingsareaffected.Tens dayspast(HumanDiseasesandConditions).Toxinshavebeenproventotostopthisproduction ifthefetusisexposedtoenoughtoxins.Whenthisproductionisstopped,abirthdefectknown asanencephalycanoccurwhichcancausethebabytobebornwithoutabrain,orwitha severelydamagedbrain.Thesebabiesdiewithinhoursofbirth,orareoftentimesstillborn. Alcoholhasbeenthereasonforplentyofaccidentsinthepast.Alcoholisaneven strongertoxintoadevelopingfetus.Theamountofalcoholthatcanmakeapregnantwomena littledrunk,canbemorethantwicethatamountforafetusbecausetheyaresosmall. Everythingthatapregnantwomanconsumesgetspassedontothebabythroughtheumbilical cordandblood,therefore,transferringanyalcoholtothebaby.Thismayresultinadeveloping fetushavingFASD. FASDisanoveralltermusedtocategorizeacoupleofdifferentthings.Itstandsfor FetalAlcoholSpectrumDisorderandincludesphysical,mental,behavioral,and/orlearning disabilities.Anaverageoffortythousandbabiesayeararediagnosed,costingthenationabout fourbilliondollarsayear,accordingtoFASDiagnosticandPreventionNetwork.FAS(fetal alcoholsyndrome)isonthatfallsundertheFASD.Thebabywillhavegrowthdeficiencies,and mayhaveminorfacialdifferencessuchasathinupperlip,ofsmallereyes.Theywouldalso havecentralnervoussystemdamage.

Furthermore,Nearly4%ofpregnantwomenhavebeenreportedtousingheroinduring

theirterm.(heroinbabies.pbworks.com).Researchershavenotbeenabletofullyfigureoutthe effectsofheroinonthedevelopingfetus.Theyhavefoundout,however,thattheheroinpasses throughtheplacentaanddoesreachthebaby.Sincethishappens,bloodtestsdoneafterbirth haveshownthebabysbloodlevelstobe50%to100%ofthemothersdruglevel.Theabuseof heroinduringthepregnancytermcanleadtoastillborn,aprematurebaby,andbadgrowth. Heroincanalsocausethemotherswatertobreaktoosooncausingthebirthofapremature baby.Itisalsoproventhatanydiseasethatthemothermayhavecontractedduetotheabuseof heroin,suchasHIV,hepatitis,andsyphilis,canbepassedontothebabyduringthebirthing process.Aminimumchanceof45%ofbabiesexposedtoheroinduringtheirfetalgrowthwill haveamajorbirthdefecteventhoughitmightnotshowitrightaway (heroinbabies.pbworks.com).

Marijuanaisanotherdrugthatsomewomenuseduringpregnancy.Marijuanaisproven tocausecognitiveandsocialproblemsinthebabyandcancontinuetoaffectthesechildreninto adulthood.Itcanalsocauseasmallheadcircumfrance,shorttermand/orlongtermmemory loss,poorjudgmentskills(TexasTechUniversityHealthSciencesCenter).

Onecollegedidastudyoncrystalmethandtheaffectsithasonadevelopingfetus.They cametotheresultsthatjustonedoseofmethcancauselongtermbraindefectsonthebaby. Whenababyisstillafetus,theyhavenotdevelopedtheenzymestofightoffbadchemicalsso theirDNAismoreacceptabletodamage.Theywilldevelopthesewhentheygetolder,butasa fetustheyconsumeeveryounceofthemethbecausetheyhavenothingtofightofftheoffthe thingsthatarebadforthebody.Theexposuretomethduringpregnancycanalsocausethe babytobeastillborn,orcanresultinprematurebirth,miscarriage,cleftpalates,andlowbirth weight(pregnancy.lovetoknow.com).

Cocaineisanothercommonillicitdrug.Thisdrugdoessignificantdamagetoanunborn fetus.Justastheotherdrugs,itcancauseprematurebirthormiscarriage.TheAmerican PregnancyAssociationsaysthataccordingtoAmericanCongressofObstetriciansand Gynecology(ACOG),womanwhousecocaineduringtheirpregnancyhavea25%increased chanceofprematurelabor.Babiesthatwereexposedtococaineclosertothembeingborn, canbecomeaddictedanddependentonthedrugandgothroughwithdrawalsymptoms.Itcan alsoresultinasmallerheadsize,andcausethemtohavegrowthproblemsandlearning deficiencies.TheAmericanPregnancyAssociationalsosaysthatababycanhavedefectsof thegenitals,kidneysandbrainwhenapregnantmotherusescocaine.

Moreover,ababyisalivinghumanbeing.Asmallone,butonenonetheless.Sowhyisit okforsomemotherstohurtthem?Itsnot.Researchersanddoctorsusedtosaythataglassof wineanightwhilepregnantwasokay,maybeevengood.But,now,followingyearsofresearch, theydiscouragetheuseofalcoholalltogether.AccordingtoMailOnline/Health,Evensmall levelsofexposuretoalcoholinthewombaltersababy'sbraindevelopmentandcanresultina lossofuptofourIQpoints.Achildcanlaterdevelopdifficultiesinlearning,attentionmemory andproblemsolving.Also,theycandevelophyperactivity,lackofcoordinationandcanacton impulse.In2006,amongpregnantwomen,aged15to44,almosttwelvepercentreported alcoholuseduringpregnancy.Withinthisgroupofpregnantwomen,almostthreepercent reportedbingedrinkingandalmostonepercentreportedheavydrinking(ResultsFromthe2006 NationalSurveyonDrugUseandHealth:NationalFindings,2007).(TheRelationshipBetween ParentalSubstanceAbuseandtheEffectsonYoungChildren)

Wheneverawomaniscaughtusinganyillicitdrugs,orputtingpeopleindangerbybeing

drunk,theygetarrestedandgototocourt.Someoneconvictedoffelonydrugpossessionmay facealengthyprisonsentenceaswellaslargefines,probation,communityservice,and mandatorydrugcounselingprograms.(Lawfirms.com).Thesechargesarejustforanindividual person.Itusedtobethatwhenapregnantwomanuseddrugs,notmuchhappenedtothem. Thatshouldnotbethecasebecauseinthatcircumstance,theyarephysicallyhurtingthelifeof anotherhumanbeingwhotheyareresponsiblefor.Nowlawenforcementarecrackingdownon itmore. Jennifer Clarice Johnson, a twenty-three year-old African-American woman, was found guilty on two counts of delivery of a controlled substance to a minor and sentenced to one year in the treatment program she had voluntarily started, and fourteen years of probation. Johnson is the first woman to be convicted under a drug trafficking statute for delivering drugs to her infant through the umbilical cord. Both of the children, who tested positive for cocaine at birth, are healthy. She must perform 200 hours of community service, must undergo court supervised prenatal care if she becomes pregnant again, and is forbidden to use drugs or alcohol, go to bars, or associate with people who use drugs or alcohol. The court found Johnson not guilty of child abuse due to lack of evidence. Johnson appealed her delivery conviction, but it was affirmed in a split opinion by the mid-level appellate court. However, the court certified the question presented by the case to the Florida Supreme Court which accepted the case for review. The case was argued on March 6, 1992 and is currently

under submission (advocatesforpregnantwomen.org)

Notonlydoesdrugabusecostyouyourfamily,itcoststheeconomyaswell.In ScienceDirect.com,theybasedanannualcostofheroinabuseintheU.S.intermsofmedical care,lostproductivity,crimeandsocialwelfareandcameupwith$21.9billionin1996.Thatis justheroinalonenotincludingmeth,marijuana,orcocaine.Youcanonlyimaginewhatallof thosecombinedwouldbe.Also,theabuseofdrugsinoursocietyishigherthanever,making thatnumberevengreater.Wecouldbedoingsomuchmorewiththemoneylosttodrugabuse.

Thereisplentyofprogramsouttherethataretheretohelppeoplewithdrugaddiction. Anyoneoftheseplaceswillacceptmothersandgivethemcounselingtohelpthemovercome theiraddictionandbecomeagood,anddeservingmom.Statisticssaythatthesuccessrates arehigh.Amajoroutcomesstudywith10,000patientsinbothinpatientandoutpatient treatment(Hoffman&Miller)foundthat90%ofpatientsattendingAAmeetingsatleastweekly andparticipatinginaftercareforoneyearwereabletoabstainfromtheuseofanyalcoholatall duringthatyear(caron.org)

Additionally,statisticssaythatachildwithdrugaddictedparentsaremorelikelytoabuse drugsandalcoholduetogeneticandenvironmentalfactors(HopeNetworks).Evenchildren adoptedintodrugabusingfamiliesareatahigherrisk.Thisallprovesthatwomenwhotake drugsoralcoholduringpregnancyareahugeriskforthelifeofthehumanbeinggrowinginside ofthem.Thesechildrenwillbedamagedfortherestoftheirlivesduetoadecisionthattheir mothermade.Therefore,Thesewomenshouldbechargedwithchildendangermentandhaveto havemandatorydrugcounselingtoevenbeconsideredtohavecustodyoftheirchildren.

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