Substance Abuse

Every day in America and throughout the world, babies are born already addicted to drugs.

This is because the mother was a substance abuser during pregnancy.  Newborns are taken away from their mothers, perhaps put in intensive care, possibly even dying because illicit drugs were taken during pregnancy.

Substance abuse not only harms the mother, it harms the fetus. Taking drugs during pregnancy is akin to willfully harming a child because you are not the only one ingesting the drugs.

Even smoking legal cigarettes can lead to health problems during pregnancy for the fetus.  How much greater then, is the likelihood is it that illegal drugs would do the same?  Many states have laws that mandate if a mother gives birth to a child that dies because of the illegal use of drugs during the pregnancy; the mother can be held criminally responsible.

* Birth defects are higher in babies whose mothers did substance abuse during pregnancy.

A newborn literally has to withdraw from substance abuse at birth because the drugs stay in the baby’s system longer than the mother’s.  The baby can have problems with premature birth, sleeping and digestive patterns as well as physical deformities or birth defects in the kidneys, genital area and of course, the brain.  Not only that, but learning disabilities are rampant in children who were born to mothers using drugs throughout their pregnancies.

Women who become pregnant while being addicted to drugs need to be honest with their obstetricians so a health care plan can be followed in the best interests of both patients: the mother and the unborn child.

A drug addicted pregnant woman is highly encouraged to go into a treatment program so the unborn child has a chance of being healthy.  The bottom line is the innocent unborn child did not make the choice to be a substance abuser.

* * * Don’t you owe it to your child to put him or her first during this critical developing stage, giving him or her the best chance possible? * * *