Drug Use in Pregnancy free essay sample

Illicit Drug Use in Pregnancy COM 220 August 1st, 2010 Studies in 2008 have shown that the amount of babies born to drug addicted mothers has almost doubled since 2003. Pregnant mothers have been using drugs during pregnancy for thousands of years without knowing the effects they can have on their unborn baby. Even though some people claim that illicit drugs used by pregnant mothers cause no harm to the fetus, there have been studies that show otherwise. Cocaine has many street names such as crack, blow, snow, and coke. Cocaine is a highly addictive central nervous system stimulant. Cocaine can be injected, smoked, or snorted. It increases the users blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature. The risks associated with this drug are respiratory failure, seizures, stroke, nausea, heart attacks, and abdominal pain. Sudden death may occur to first time users. When a pregnant woman uses cocaine it crosses through the placenta and circulates through the fetus body. Fetuses eliminate cocaine from their bodies more slowly than adults do. If a mother uses cocaine in the early months of pregnancy it can increase her risks of a miscarriage. When used later in pregnancy, cocaine use can lead to tremors, muscle spasms, feeding difficulties, sleeplessness, nd placental abruption. Other adverse effects on the fetus such as shorter length, smaller head circumference, higher rates of congenital malformations, intestinal abnormalities, and neurobehavioral malfunction can be contributed to cocaine use during pregnancy. In certain rare circumstances perinatal cerebral infraction associated with cocaine use has also been known to happen. Cocaine decreases uterine blood flow and increases maternal blood pressure. When placental abruption occurs it can lead to preterm birth, severe bleeding, and even fetal death. The risks of birth defects increase if the mother has used cocaine frequently during regnancy. Also the more frequent the use of cocaine, the more likely it is that the fetus could have a stroke inside of the mother that can result in brain damage and possibly death. As these children grow older they may have uncontrollable trembling, learning disabilities and may suffer from hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. However, a study done in 2004 suggests that four-year-olds exposed to cocaine during pregnancy have the same intelligence level as those that were not exposed to cocaine. Studies also suggest that the mothers poor health during pregnancy may have played a role in the fetus health. Heroin is also known as H, smack, and Junk is a very addictive drug. It is processed from morphine. Heroin is injected, snorted, or smoked. Heroin can depress breathing and sudden death can occur. Many users enter states of wakefulness and sleepiness. Users also risk the potential of getting HIV by sharing needles used to inject the drug. Most of the time heroin appears as a brown or white powder or as a sticky black substance. It crosses through the placenta into the baby. Heroin is so addictive it can make the baby pregnancy related problems in both the mother and the baby. Some of these risks are pre-mature rupture of the membranes, stillbirth, pre-mature birth, and poor fetal growth. If a dependent mother decides to stop taking it suddenly, her fetus can die. This is what a premature baby looks like. The baby is very small and frail. These babies can spend weeks or even months in the hospital. Many premature babies end up with long-term developmental disabilities. (BabyElan, 2010). Heroin use during pregnancy can cause many side effects to a newborn baby. Within three days after birth babies show symptoms of trembling, irritability, fever, vomiting, and seizures. Withdrawal symptoms include diarrhea, fever, convulsions, and Joint stiffness. The baby has a higher risk of getting SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) too. Babies can also have low blood sugar, breathing difficulties, and bleeding in the brain that can cause death. It is unclear whether heroin is the cause for all of these problems in babies or not. More studies need to be done. People may mix different types of substances with the heroin that may contribute to birth defects. Speed, crank, meth, chalk, ice, glass, and crystal meth are names commonly used for methamphetamines. Methamphetamines are a very addictive stimulant. The drug is very toxic to nerve terminals in the central nervous system. It can cause irregular heartbeat, rapid heart rate, increased body temperature, and high blood pressure. If methamphetamines are used chronically and over a long period of time the user can have violent behavior, insomnia, confusion, severe dental problems, mood disturbances, and anxiety. Meth is an odorless, white, bitter tasting powder that can be taken orally, injected, or snorted. It can also be heated up into a rock crystal that can be smoked. Users have a higher chance of contracting hepatitis and HIV/AIDS because of the addicts sharing needles. Methamphetamines and amphetamines are chemically related and cause the mother and babies heart rate to increase. Ecstasy is also classified in this group of drugs. These types of drugs can be taken as a pill, snorted, smoked through a glass pipe, or injected intravenously. When a person uses this drug he or she can experience rapid breathing, euphoria, decreased appetite, irritability, hyperactivity, and insomnia. The drugs can also lead to hyperthermia (overheating of the body), cardiovascular problems, and fatal convulsions. None of these effects are healthy for an unborn fetus. Methamphetamine use during regnancy can have some of the same results as cocaine use. Such complications include less oxygen getting to the baby that can lead to a small baby. Other complications include miscarriage, placenta abruption, and premature labor. Babies born addicted to methamphetamines can go through withdrawals that include muscle spasms, feeding difficulties, tremors, and sleeplessness. During the phase of withdrawals the baby may become Jittery, have breathing problems, rub their head back and forth on the bed, or experience breathing problems. Some experts believe that a child whose mother used methamphetamines during pregnancy may have earning disabilities as they get older. Other birth defects such as a cleft lip/palate, club foot, or heart defects may be associated with these drugs. High doses of the drug may cause the babys blood pressure to rise to a point to in which they could have a stroke or a brain hemorrhage before he or she is born. Babies may also (Gastroschisis is the term that refers to a baby whose intestines are on the outside or their body). However, there have not been a large amount of studies done on human patients who consume these drugs during pregnancy. Here is photo of a baby that was born with a cleft palate. This is one of the negative effects of a mother using methamphetamines during pregnancy. (Theo, Dawno; 2010). This next picture is an example of a club foot. This is another deformity that a child can have when his or her mother uses methamphetamine during her pregnancy. cannelli, Vincent, M. D. , 2010). Marijuana has many slang names such as pot, weed, ganja, grass, and reefer. Marijuana is normally smoked in a Joint or in a pipe. It can also be brewed into tea or mixed into food. Marijuana can cause impaired coordination, distorted perceptions, problems with learning and memory, and distorted perceptions. Chronic use can ause depression, suicidal ideation, schizophrenia, and increased rates of anxiety. Marijuana smoke contains toxins that prevent the baby from getting proper supply of oxygen that he or she needs to grow. Marijuana smoke increases the levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the blood, which can also cause poor oxygen levels to get to the fetus. Some studies suggest that marijuana use during pregnancy may decrease pregnancy length and cause pre-term labor. Babies may also have slow fetal growth. The long-term outlook for babies born to mothers who have used excessive amounts of marijuana during pregnancy are that children can have evelopmental delays or problems that affect a childs ability to pay attention. These problems are called ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). A limited number of studies on marijuana use in pregnancy have been done in the past on humans. Some studies are inconclusive because the mother also drinks alcohol and smokes cigarettes. These can contribute to pregnancy and baby issues. PSP, also known as angel dust, and LSD, also known as acid, are other common street drugs. LSD can distort the perceptions of reality and have frightening effects on the user. These trips can last for 12 hours at a time. Users can experience hallucinations, delusions, and sleeplessness, loss of appetite, increased heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. These drugs are commonly sold as liquid, absorbent paper, capsules, or liquid. They are both hallucinogens that can make the pregnant mother become violent and hurt herself. If she does hurt herself that could cause harm to her unborn baby. If used frequently LSD can cause birth defects in the fetus. PCP use is known to cause poor muscle control, low birth weight, brain damage, or withdrawal syndrome. Withdrawal symptoms include alternating ith tremors and lethargy. Inhalants are another drug that some may use during pregnancy. Pregnant mothers inhale such things as spray paint, lighter fluid, gas, felt tip markers, glue, vegetable oil sprays, whipped cream aerosols, chloroform, ether, nitrous oxide, fabric protector sprays, and hairspray. Abusers breathe or snort the fumes from these inhalants in. It is also known as huffing. Users may experience slurred speech, dizziness, lightheadedness, delusions, hallucinations, confusion, nausea, and a headache that can last for days. Inhalants deprive the body of oxygen that can be tragic for an unborn fetus. Effects on the fetus ofa pregnant woman that abuses these drugs are kidney problems, small birth weight, and a smaller head. crying for long periods of time, tremors, high-pitched cry, poor sleeping, difficulty feeding, and floppy muscle tone. There is a chance that the baby can develop Toluene Embryopathy Syndrome that can cause mental, behavioral, and physical problems. As these children become older they may have lasting effects such as aggressiveness, hyperactivity, slow physical growth, and delays in speech and thinking skills. This chart shows the higher risks that pertain to each drug and their effects.