Should A Pregnant Woman Be Punished For Exposing Her Fetus To Risk?

Submitted By jadavhiren700
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Should a Pregnant Woman Be Punished for Exposing Her Fetus to Risk?
Hiren Jadav
Week 3 assignment
HSM 542 (Health rights and responsibilities)
Professor: Robert Blashka
When a woman becomes pregnant, it is very significant for her to lead a healthy life to eat plenty of nourishing food, hire plenty of ease, and exercise regularly. It is also vital that she avoid anything that might harm her or her child-to-be. For a pregnant woman, drug abuse is doubly dangerous. According to Daily News 2010, one hundred babies are turned out with drug withdrawal symptoms every month. Some drugs can directly impair prenatal development, most of the body organs and systems of the baby-to-be are formed within the first ten weeks or so of pregnancy during this phase. After approximately the tenth week, the fetus should grow rapidly in weight and size. At this stage, certain drugs may damage organs that are still developing, such as the eyes, as well as the nervous system. Continuing drug use also increases the risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. Simply the greatest danger drugs pose at this point is their potential to interfere with normal growth “low-birth weight infants require special care and carry a much higher danger of serious health troubles or even death”. Use of illicit drugs like cocaine and opioids during pregnancy can cause complications and serious problems in the developing fetus and the newborn. Development of the fetus is likely to be inadequate and premature birth defects are more usual. Cocaine crosses the placenta, constricts the blood vessels, reducing blood stream to the fetus. The diluted blood and oxygen provision to the fetus slows the development of bones and intestine. Use of cocaine can also cause complications during pregnancy. Among adult females who use cocaine throughout pregnancy, 31% have preterm delivery and 15% have premature detachment of placenta. They also increase the chances of having a miscarriage. Drugs that a pregnant woman takes can affect the fetus in various ways. They can work immediately on the fetus, causing damage or abnormal development leading to birth defects or death. They can as well modify the role of the placenta usually by constricting blood vessels and cutting back the blood supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus from the female parent and therefore resulting in a baby that is underweight and underdeveloped. Moreover they can induce the muscles of the uterus to contract forcefully; indirectly injuring the fetus by reducing the stock supply or triggering pre-term labor and saving.

In my belief, pregnant adult females should be punished for involving themselves in illicit behaviors such as getting hold of drugs, smoking, and drinking, all of which can cause damage to the fetus. I believe a woman should put her negative manners on the back burner when she resolves to become pregnant or does become significant. Anything which might possibly harm the developing fetus should be terminated and all affairs which might positively affect the developing fetus should be mandated under penalty of law, be it criminal or civic. When a woman becomes