Introduction
Pregnancy is associated with particular risks in women who use alcohol or drugs and this applies to both legal and illegal drugs because the fetus is connected to the blood circulation of a mother. A pregnant woman, who consumes alcohol or drugs, may have premature childbirth, abortion or even if a baby is born then he/she may suffer serious and sometimes life-long damages. Scientifically, it cannot be determined exactly at what amount and frequency of taking various drugs in pregnancy endanger a child. For pregnant women or those who want to be pregnant, there is only one piece of advice to quit use of any drugs completely during the pregnancy period.
Analysis
A pregnant woman consuming alcohol is always at a significant risk because alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, and often leads to excessive abnormalities in the fetus. Chronic heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause fetal abnormalities called fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) (Khalil et al., 2010). Fetal alcohol syndrome is characterized by the sustained development of the child before and after birth defects of the limbs. In children, alcoholics’ evident characteristic facial features are a short flat nose, flat upper jaw, and strabismus. Children with FAS can also have behavioral problems and they often have disorders of speech, inadequate motor responses; however, prenatal (28 weeks of gestation to 7 days after birth) infant mortality rate in this case is 15-20% (Khalil et al., 2010).
Most studies have confirmed that only four or five small doses of alcohol per day are enough for the occurrence of FAS. However, in a mild form anomalies arise when women take two doses per day. Thus, it concludes that there is no safety in alcohol consumption for pregnant women; however, for this reason, the labels of all alcoholic beverages are printed with appropriate warnings to pregnant women (Khalil et al., 2010). Alcohol is never safe for pregnant women even when if is used irregularly or only on occasion, such as at parties or celebrations of certain events, it should be noted that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption for pregnant women.
Alcohol passes through the umbilical cord rapidly in the bloodstream of the fetus and spread throughout the body. In a very short time, the mother and child have the same alcohol level. The harmful effects of alcohol stay longer in the unborn child, as in the mother; because of the not yet fully developed organism, alcohol disgraces a child very slowly (Khalil et al., 2010). Alcohol has a teratogenic effect in the fetus and daily 60g can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), including growth retardation, facial deformities such as cleft lip, cleft palate, heart defects, malfunctions of the CNS, and intellectual failures that can lead to lifelong impairments (Khalil et al., 2010). The dramatic effects of consuming alcohol during pregnancy on the development of child are known since 70s. Medically it is known today as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) (Khalil et al., 2010).
The amount of daily alcohol consumption is likely to harm the unborn child, indeed, it cannot be determined with certainty, but amount is considered limited to a maximum of one glass a day (Khalil et al., 2010). Researchers have not determined exactly how much alcohol during pregnancy is safe for the unborn child. It is therefore advised to eliminate the use of alcohol in this period, or at least during the first three months. If you choose not to give up alcohol, reduce its use to one or two servings of no more than one or two times a week. Alcohol abuse and binge drinking, that is, the use of six or more drinks per day, it is dangerous for your child.
Alcohol contains toxins that enter the bloodstream through the placenta and into the body of an unborn baby. If you are abusing alcohol during pregnancy, it can cause serious damage to the growing fetus. Alcohol negatively affects the growth and development of the internal organs and the brain. It may also cause abnormalities structure of the face of the child. Drunkenness mother harms the nervous system of the baby and can lead to such consequences are poor coordination of movements that will accompany the child throughout his life. Deviations fetal development caused by alcoholism mother termed "fetal alcohol disorders" (PRA). This term includes a number of disorders - from mild learning difficulties to congenital abnormalities. The most severe case is fetal alcohol syndrome (TSA), which is characterized by abnormal facial structure, low weight and height at birth, and a further delay in the growth and physical development. Such children often have neurological and behavioral problems. Alcohol syndrome is incurable and remains for life.
Drug addiction
Drugs are very common phenomenon in our society and drug abuse among pregnant women, unfortunately, has become increasingly common. Drug dependence can be physical and psychological. Physical dependence involves taking drugs to relieve unpleasant symptoms arising from the abolition of narcotic drugs after long-term use; however, this does not mean addiction to drugs. For example, many coffee lovers feel unpleasant symptoms, if at any time refuse the drink, but it certainly has not addiction. Psychological dependence means that a person emotionally inclined to use drugs and this craving for drugs may be more severe than in physical dependence and can lead to the systematic use drugs. The term "addiction" is usually understood to taking drugs prohibited by law. However, you have to include the "black list" of those drugs, which take quite legally, such as benzodiazepines and barbiturates (this hypnotics and anti-anxiety drugs that already are contraindicated during pregnancy), as well as caffeine and the already mentioned alcohol and smoking (Dawes, & Chowienczyk, 2001).
Again, not to be unfounded, we look at how drugs affect the body of a pregnant woman and her fetus. Note that here we disclaim conditionally hypothetical form of presentation, which can influence (Grant, et al., 2003).
First, the vast majority of women who use drugs are likely to wait for complications during pregnancy. Some drugs cause nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and delayed fetal development; however, they also increase susceptibility to late pregnant (Khalil et al., 2010). Secondly, it is well established that a number of drugs have a very harmful impact on the fetus. First, it is believed that such a child after the birth itself becomes predisposed to addiction (Deardorff, et al., 2005).
Research has found that opiates (substances derived from opium, directly or synthetically) could cause euphoria, drowsiness or sleepiness, and reduce sensitivity to pain. Regular taking them often leads to physical dependence. This group of drugs includes morphine, heroin, and codeine. Women taking opiate during pregnancy increases the risk of preterm delivery, intrauterine growth retardation, preeclampsia, and so on and child born to a mother may be mentally retarded. Intravenous drug use in connection with the transmission of infection through reusable syringes and needles can lead to hepatitis, finally, to AIDS. Any of these diseases is a major problem for pregnant women (Harrison & Sidebottom, 2009).
Hallucinogens, such as LSD, mescaline, peyote, can lead to mental disorders. They cause abnormal fetal development in animals and possibly humans, although the latter is still not sufficiently substantiated (Lowe, et al., 2010). Studies have shown that the use of the drug in pregnant women may cause serious malformations of the nervous and cardiovascular systems in the child. Use of central nervous system stimulants, such as amphetamines, cause defects in the child cardiovascular system. Cocaine intoxication can cause seizures, arrhythmias, hypertension, and elevated temperature in the mother, and the duration of cocaine use a violation of circulation of nutrients and temperature, which has detrimental impact on the child. Cocaine can cause miscarriage, premature separation of the placenta and birth defects in the baby (Flynn & Chermack, 2008). Furthermore, the most frequently used drugs for a long time; sometimes even several days may result in growth retardation.
Research groups focusing on the consequences of drug use during pregnancy, examined that children who were cared for together with their mothers in two facilities for drug-ill mothers in a rehabilitation program stationary investigated the effects of hard drugs during pregnancy and biological risks, childbirth and the Neugeborenperiode, and several high-risk environment and living conditions. These group latter included, other things, like the size of the family network, characteristics of the drug career, and the intelligence and psychological abnormalities of mothers. The focus of the issue was the development of intelligence and behavior of children.
The mean intelligence in the examined group of children, which ranged from infants to school-age children, was below the standard of the population, and the proportion of children with below-average intelligence was significantly increased. The so-called action intelligence stood in a systematic negative relationship with the extent of drug use during pregnancy. This negative relationship was influenced mainly by the use of heroin or methadone. None of the environmental risk factors showed such a relationship to intelligence. This is this part of the study, the adverse consequences of drug use during pregnancy on the mental development of children (Khalil et al., 2010). Other relationships to the investigated risk factors were revealed in the case of behavioral problems of these children: It was found that mental disorders of mothers whose low level of education, as well as a small social network and familiar with behavioral problems in children were associated (Odgers, et al., 2008). The different biological risk factors did not play a significant role. The strongest association was detected between childhood behavior problems and maternal mental disorders. This suggests that the joint rehabilitation of sick mothers and their children is a promising model.
Conclusion
Research concludes that women need to stop taking drugs before conception. If they use drugs, then they should be honest with their doctors. Women should tell their doctors exactly what medications or drug they use and ask about everything that concerns the effects of addiction to an unborn baby. Victim of addiction is especially a child, and the sooner the doctor will begin to solve this problem. Naturally, to get rid of drug necessary medical treatment system, as, indeed, and chronic stages of alcoholism and smoking is most important factor. However, for the most important habitual use of cigarettes and alcohol from time to time, which seems so irregular and therefore it is safe to some extent. In addition, this has been observed, but it is not the case because sometimes it has very dangerous affects. If the force of will and habit, environment does not allow you to decisively reject these insecure delusions, try using the following method of visualization, which enables you to change the erroneous beliefs and achieve the desired result.
Recommendations
For example, you can relax, twisting in the hands of the rosary, drawing on paper, working out, looking at the rotation of the pendulum, while listening to music, taking a shower and so on. Not necessarily maintain communication with colleagues via smoking (Odgers, et al., 2008). You can drink a cup of tea together, just come up and talk. If you occupy your leisure cigarette smoking, then perhaps it would be best at this time to write a letter to someone, read a book, watch an interesting magazine, play a computer game, and so on (Lowe, et al., 2010).
- Realize what you want. Try to deal with internal contradictions and objections, to understand what benefits can bring you trouble. For example, which performs useful functions for you smoking? This can be a feeling of relaxation, a way to communicate, pastime. Think about what the safer ways you could achieve these goals. Find at least three ways that would have been readily available for you, as well as cigarettes. Let these methods involve different sensory systems: visual, auditory, feeling, perhaps, smell and taste.
- Sign in relaxed, receptive state of mind with the help of self-hypnosis, meditation or meditating. In this condition, imagine vividly and clearly, what you already have the desired result, change. Imagine the process of achieving the goal and the goal itself: how will you look at this, what you will see the surroundings and the people that you will hear in this case, what you feel? For example, when I quit smoking, my child will be healthy, I have no problems with the pregnancy, I will be more cheerful, I will have a nice complexion, I'll notice the smiles and the approval of other people when they find out that I do not smoke , my health improved, I will feel relaxed and comfortable. Try to formulate a positive result that is not what you do not have, but what you gain. For example, instead of saying: "I will stop to hurt," you say, "I'll feel at ease and well, my baby will be born healthy."
- Wait and believe that you will get it. You have the ability, if possible, and all the necessary resources to achieve this. Think and add to it as the missing resources, that is, anything you can do to achieve this goal. For example, I have to throw away all cigarettes out of the house. I will not "shoot" cigarettes from friends. I will not smell of cigarettes. Instead, I'll smell the aromatic oils or cologne, or fresh air.
- Tell yourself that you deserve. This means that the disease is not for you the punishment for some sin. Do you consider yourself a good person and can accept and love yourself for who you are? You will do everything possible to achieve the desired changes. This process should help you deal with the internal doubts and contradictions that hinder the achievement of goals. It will help you clearly understand and imagine what you seek and what steps you need to do to achieve this.
The pregnancy will be most useful in achieving success visualization, as psycho-emotional state of a pregnant woman is more mobile, accordingly, it is more suggestible, and auditory training runs more successfully. Just remember that there are no unsolvable problems - there are people who do not want to deal with them (Lowe, et al., 2010).
References
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