mom’s on drugs

Mother’s using and abusing drugs is a spreading problem across all cultures, this is a serious issue that seems to be continuously growing.  A mother that uses drugs during pregnancy will not only put the child at harm for health problems while in her womb, but also after he or she is born. This particular article focuses on the use of opioids and psychostimulants during pregnancy.

            This study provides animal research to figure the prenatal and postnatal effects that drug abuse can have on a child. The study finds that children whom have been exposed to drugs in the womb may have complications that affect the child both prenatally and postnatal. This study confirms that drug abuse during pregnancy will have a wide range of effects on the fetus. For example when drug abuse occurs while a mother is pregnant the baby may not develop normally; he or she may have low birth weight or deformed limbs, known as birth defects. Postnatal effects would be the child’s inability to adapt to the stress of a new environment, have an intense desire for the drug and even in the future may cause infertility.

            The study suggests that this research can be beneficial in postnatal care for babies whom are born to mothers with a drug addiction. The best route the study explains is for the mother to not partake in drugs during pregnancy, but then it further explains that ending drug use may also have negative effects on a baby. Finding families who are eligible to care for these babies in a healthy environment may limit some of the postnatal effects. A final implication of this study suggests that 

methadone to demolish craving for the baby may be a necessary route. Even though the article explains that methadone can have the same negative effects on a baby.

            Limitations of the research would be that all the research conducted was on animals. Though the article was very thorough animal research does not provide all the same effects that human research would.  

Slamberova, R. (2012). Drugs in Pregnancy: The Effects on Mother and Her Progeny. 123-135.

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