The underlying concern of drug use or addiction by pregnant women has been in the logger heads for a longer time. The society has been shown concern about the issue but various researches have been overlooking the whole issue of substance during pregnancy. The overlook of drug addiction and its persistent use during pregnancy has been in existence despite the fact that drug addiction has been declared a significant disaster in the development of the world economy and the general development. Various researches have been done in an attempt to uncover this dilemma. Majority of these researches have been concerned with the question of whether the perpetrators of dilemma have any concern for the innocent unborn or not. It is also to my concern that at times these women are reluctant to ask for prenatal care. This raises the question why? Could they be having no knowledge on the effect of drug abuse during pregnancy to their unborn children?
For this reason therefore, this paper takes a stand to research on the effects of drug use by pregnant mothers and the effects to the children born under such condition. I have research on the specific effects of specific drugs to the unborn when they are exposed to drugs. The paper presents the discussion on the most abused drugs by pregnant mothers. The most abused and discussed in the paper include Cocaine, Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana.
As in accordance with the Neurobehavioral teratology framework, the general effect of prenatal exposure of unusual objects or substances to the behavior and the central nervous system of a child is a factor of various issues among them are the post natal environment, the fetal environment, the stage of fetus development during substance exposure, the substance doze, and individual’s genetic specifications. Damage to the central nervous system during prenatal may result to impairment of child behavior and the child will always continue experiencing effects throughout his or her developmental stages (Minnes 2013).
Infants with prenatal exposure have been generally being reported to have reduced head circumference, weight and take longer time to be born. Other than these, pregnancy complication is another default of cocaine exposure. Considerable evidence collected about the effects of cocaine prenatal exposure is the subtle central nervous system abnormalities. Furthermore, an assessment of cocaine’s prenatal exposure effects to children through Braselton Neonatal Assessment Scale shows that such children exhibit developmental deficits in autonomic stability, state regulation, habituation, reflexes, motor, tone, orientation, alertness, excitability and general performance (Minnes 2013).
According to research study by world health organization WHO, there is a great relationship between smoking tobaccos during pregnancy and transferring addition to the future generation. Mother who smoke during pregnancy seem to transfer the risk of one from suffering from attention deficit disorder, cognitive deficit, criminality and conduct disorder during the developing stage of childhood (Nordberg 2002). Biologically, nicotine can be transferred from the mother to fetus through the placenta thus causing the reason why pregnant mothers who smoke transfer addiction to the unborn child. In the brain of the development fetus, nicotine stimulates the nicotinic receptors, which are important the psychological development of a child (Cornelius 2000). Therefore, a mother who smokes during pregnancy, transfer the risk of addiction to their child affecting them negatively in their teenage life.
Additionally, Mothers who abuse drugs during pregnancy, cause an impact on the neonate of the unborn child which affects their in the later stages of life (Olsen 1997). There are recreational drugs which have been identified to have life effect on people and generation of people who abuse them. Ethanol has the high amount of risk imposed by pregnant mothers to their infants and the effects stretching to adulthood (Nordberg 2002). Such children are under the risk of their neurodevelopment being altered causing dangers on their long term health. Additionally, such children face the risk of growth retardation, fetal distress and demises.
According to a study conducted by American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Dr. Richardson, the relationship of drug abuse and parental substance abuse is increasing at a high rate. This determined by cross examining individuals who have said there have never used drug in their live, and after study you identify the effects of drug abuse in their lives. This can be as a result of substance abuse during pregnancy (Cornelius 2000). Adding to this, the high number of teenage pregnancy by teenagers who abuse drugs has rising effects on the offspring.
However, something has to be done before the effects extend to more innocents lives. Early treatment is important after evaluation of the over health status of an infant, with treatment not to be limited to the newly born child (Nordberg 2002). Early intervention to the pregnant mother during the early day of pregnancy is important in reducing the transferring of addiction to the zygote.
In conclusion, substance abuse during pregnancy has influence of the psychological well being of born child. In my own opinion, there should be early preventive method in order to reduce the risk stretching to adolescence and adulthood. Additionally, assessment of social host setting will help reduce the risk of underage people engaging in alcohol related activities. Early interventions to sensitize mothers of these detrimental effects to children life due to exposure to substances will serve to curb the effects of substances to children as result of mother’s substance addiction.
References
Minnes, S., Singer, L., Min, M. O., Wu, M., Lang, A., & Yoon, S. (2013, September 28). Effects of Prenatal Cocaine/Polydrug Exposure on Substance Use by Age 15. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2-44.
Nordberg, A., & Hellström-Lindahl, E. (2002, August). Smoking during pregnancy: a way to transfer the addiction to the next generation? Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers, 69(4), 289-293.
Cornelius, M. D., Leech, S. L., Goldschmidt, L., & Day, N. L. (2000). Prenatal tobacco exposure: is it a risk factor for early tobacco experimentation? Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 2, 45-52
Olsen, H. C., Streissguth, A. P., Sampson, P. D., Barr, H. M., Bookstein, F. L., & Theide, K.(1997). Association of prenatal alcohol exposure with behavioral and learning problems in early adolescence
