Drugs While Pregnant Research Paper

A woman who is pregnant should consider the fact they are carrying for two people. Every pregnant woman should watch what they take in because it can harm the baby and also themselves. We all know that taking in alcohol and illegal drugs while pregnant is not good for a baby because there are many risks that can happen. Taking these products can cause a variety of problems that are internal and external to the baby. The more you know, the better you can make your child be the healthiest it can be.

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can affect your baby depending on the stage of pregnancy you are at, how much and often you drink. Alcohol exposure when young can also cause problems in school and in their late teenage years. The child can develop …show more content…
The drugs a woman takes travels through the placenta from them to the baby. The placenta and umbilical cord are what connects the woman with their child. So whatever the mother takes in, it travels through the baby. The problem of doing drugs while pregnant is the fact the baby would have a difficult time eliminating the drug from their system because their “fetus is very sensitive.” ("Alcohol, Drugs, and Babies: Do You Need to Worry?”, n.d.) Over time these bad chemical will start to build up and cause permanent damage to them. Drugs like marijuana, cocaine, and heroin can cause different problems to the baby. Marijuana is similar to cigarettes because it contains chemicals that decrease the amount of oxygen the baby needs to grow. The amount of oxygen the baby has is reduced because smoking marijuana "increases the amount of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in the blood.” (“Using Illegal Drugs During Pregnancy”, n.d.). Cocaine is also dangerous because it takes longer to remove the drug from a fetus; therefore it stays much longer in the baby than the mother. The use of cocaine in the beginning of pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage. If a mother continues the use of cocaine, placental abruption would happen and could "lead to severe bleeding, preterm birth, and fetal death." (“Using Illegal Drugs During Pregnancy”, n.d.). Up next is heroin, which is a very addictive drug. Consuming this drug will make the baby hooked on the drug where they would most likely suffer from withdraw symptoms. The poor thing might undergo "irritability, convulsions, diarrhea, fever, sleep abnormalities, and joint stiffness." (“Using Illegal Drugs During Pregnancy”, n.d.). A baby having withdrawal symptoms is a major problem that will lead to an extended stay in the hospital for special