Drugs During Pregnancy

***Above is an image showing the harmful effects drugs can have on your newborn.***

Drugs can have a harmful effect on individuals especially pregnant women. When you are pregnant, almost everything you eat, drink, or smoke passes through your body to your baby. Being pregnant gives many women a new life. Having the feeling of becoming mothers for many women is an honor. When I held my niece in my arms for the first time, I felt a special bond between my niece and I. Everyone wants to take care of their children and give them the best lifestyle. However, some pregnant mothers forget the harm they are creating for their unborn children by abusing drugs. The first image is of a baby who was born premature because of his mother abusing alcohol. The second picture consists of births of children who have died because of their mothers abusing drugs, alcohol, and other substances. Seeing such images brings tears in my eyes and makes me wonder why mothers abuse drugs during pregnancy if it can cause such a disaster?

Illegal drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, and heroin are just a few drugs that can be harmful to the fetus during pregnancy. Illegal drugs can cause serious problems when used while pregnant. For example, cocaine disturbs the normal sleep cycle of babies and causes damage to the brain, liver, and kidneys. Also, amphetamines or speed can cause heart defects in your baby. In fact, marijuana can cause you to have a smaller than normal baby (America Health Association). Pregnant women who share needles to inject drugs or who have unprotected sex have a higher chance to pass the virus to their unborn child. Not just illegal drugs, prescription drugs can harm your baby too. It is always important to check with your doctor before you start taking over the counter drugs during your pregnancy. Give your baby a great birthday present by giving them a healthy start.

Research has suggested that if pregnant mothers abuse or use drugs, the child has a higher chance of abusing drugs in their life. In fact, “For 20 years, pregnant women have been warned that alcohol and drugs damage their fetuses, but a startling new study of Californian women shows that one in nine pregnant women are still testing positive for drug use at delivery.” (England Journal of Medicine) The unborn child is being exposed to drugs through their mother. It is important to avoid illegal drugs in general but even more important during pregnancy. There is a life growing inside of you and needs your support to build its immune system; help your baby build a good, healthy one.

Legal drugs, including cigarettes and alcohol, can also cause harm to your baby. Mothers who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have babies be born premature and have more abnormal facial features as well as other defects. Alcohol can cause a lot of different diseases that your baby can develop such as mental retardation. The study in Thursday's edition of the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that, “Nearly 70,000 California women are using alcohol, illegal drugs, or tobacco. Health officials say, "Alcohol poisoning of fetuses is one of the most common and preventable causes of mental retardation, and drug usage can kill.”(England Journal of Medicine) The effects of drugs not only lasts at that time but also throughout the child's life and the life of the person who takes care of the child. Every day the person would be reminded of the mistakes they committed as they witness the effects that drugs have on their child.

Source:
-England Journal of Medicine

EFFECTS OF DRUGS

***The first image shows the effect of teen substance abuse, in particular abusing alcohol.***

***The second picture shows the effects of teens driving while under the influence of drugs and the pain he received from his wound.***

Drug effects have a huge impact in the world. People who use illegal drugs are not only affecting their lives but also affecting the lives of their families and friends as well. Teen substance abuse affects the family unit as teens become more hostile, and their decision-making becomes greatly impaired. The consequence of such use, even causal use, can be devastating to both the user and to the user’s family members. But, teen drug use is costly to more than just families. It is especially costly to our society as a whole. Youth’s immature physical, emotional, and psychological development make them more susceptible than adults to the harmful effects of drug abuse.


According to the MADD which stated Alcohol is the number one substance abuse used by teenagers. As we speak many innocent human beings are killed by teenage drivers. For many parent’s finding out that their son or daughter has been struggling with Teen abuse is a catastrophic revelation. Thoughts of failure, disappointment, guilt, and embarrassment floods a parents mind. A recent study done by National drug Intelligence Organization stated that “in 2008, an estimated 11,773 people died in alcohol-impaired traffic crashes committed by teenagers driving under the influence”. In fact, “three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lives” (NDIO, p.1).
There are many risks for teenagers abusing substance such as alcohol. Underage drinkers are susceptible to immediate consequences of alcohol use, including blackouts, hangovers, and alcohol poisoning and are at elevated risk of “neurodegeneration particularly in regions of the brain activity and the appearance of neurocognitive defect” (NIAAA, P.2).


Drug effects can not only change the way a person looks but also impact their ability to think. For example, my family friend got behind a car on February 14, 2010 and was involved in a fatal car accident. My friend was under the influence of alcohol when he got in the car with his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day. He survived the car crash however, his girlfriend was thrown out of the window and was run over by an 18 wheel truck smashing every bone in her body resulting in instance death. My friend has never been able to get over that horrible incident. My friend feels responsible and now goes to high schools and targets teenagers to inform them of the horrible consequences driving under the influence can cause an individual. Also, my friend’s girlfriend's family members have not forgiven my friend until this day. Once a life is taken it cannot come back, but the wounds of the incident remain within the victimizer's soul. This one incident of drinking and driving has changed my friend forever and this one decision makes him suffer as the event has just happened yesterday.

Overall, drug effects have a huge impact on the indivdual and the ability to think. Alcohol is just one example of subtance that is abused by teenagers.

Sources:

-MADD

-NIAAA

-NDIO