Prenatal Exposure to Cigarette Smoking (Research Paper Sample)

Criminal Justice
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Criminal Justice
The major concern in the health sector has been the Prenatal Exposure to Cigarette Smoking, Drugs, Alcohol and HIV. Use of alcohol, drugs, and other substance abuse is on the rise and the mothers are not spared either. Moreover, the prevalence of the epidemic, AIDS is on the rise making prenatal exposure the scourge irresistible. Such exposures have serious effects to the unborn. The exposure to these substance and conditions have immense negative impacts that ranges from attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), infant mortality rate, miscarriages, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) (Meade, 2007).
Smoking
Smoking has serious effects to mothers during pregnancy. Some of the major adverse effect of smoking is that it causes miscarriages, low birth weight babies, and premature labor. Research shows that cigarettes restrict the supply of oxygen to a critical part known as neonate leading to suppressed growth. In fact, the situation gets worse when the mother smokes Shisha since one pipe of the substance is equivalent to up to 7-10 Cigarettes (Meade, 2007). Consequently, constant smoking of shisha can results to worse effects such as stillbirth, and suppressed development of the child. Moreover, smoking during pregnancy has the capacity to expose the child hyperactivity or inattention. Such a condition is not good for the development of the child since it can lead to poor learning outcome in school. Besides, it can also result to a reduced acquisition of necessary skills and knowledge in a given profession.
Cocaine
Cocaine, which is popularly known as crack, flake, or coke, is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. The drug leads to several effects such as hyperactivity, talkativeness decreased confidence, unrealistic sense of euphoria, and depression. Moreover, coke also has serious impact to the unborn. In fact, it leads to suppressed growth, impedes the development of the nervous system, and premature birth (Cnattingius, 2004). In addition, it leads to increased cases of babies with deformities. For instance, most children exposed to cocaine while in the womb end up with small heads that might compromise their learning in future. Prenatal exposure to cocaine can also give rise to children with increased irritability, and excessive crying. The development of the children exposed to cocaine may be difficult; they could end up with inattention and language delays as well as difficulty in catching sleep.
Heroin
Heroin is a popular drug that goes by several street names such as brown, skag, horse, and smack. The drug is derived from opium and is highly addictive among the users. It is widely known for causing serious slowdown of the functioning of the body. Furthermore, it leads to a feeling of low psychological and physical pain, makes one feel sleep, and relaxed. It is important to take note that when this drug is taken in large quantities it leads to coma, breathing issues, hepatitis A and B. The users of this drug are highly susceptible to HIV since they share needles that are used to inject the drug into the body through the veins (Meade, 2007). Consequently, a fetus exposed to heroin is likely to experience premature birth, exposure to HIV, hypertonia, pulmonary aspiration, seizures associated with abstinence, and voracious appetite. The sharing of needles among the users of heroin exposes them to serious diseases such as syphilis, hepatitis, and HIV, which could be easily passed to the unborn if the condition, is not contained in good time. Such children therefore require proper treatment at birth for them to survive to celebrate their first birthday.
Cannabis
Cannabis is a popular drug that is smoked across the globe. It is legal in some countries and illegal in others. It goes by the street name skunk, pot, ganja, or hag. The drug has serious ramifications on the users that include paranoia, distorted coordination, slowed reactions, and feeling of relaxation (Cnattingius, 2004). Other adverse effects that are associated with the use of the drug include metal conditions such as schizophrenia, lack of concentration and lack of motivation. Research suggest that pregnant mothers who use marijuana are likely to experience still birth, low eight children, as well as development effects on the babies. Children exposed to cannabis sativa are likely to develop mental conditions such as schizophrenia that might affect their learning and development in future. However, when used to moderate levels it does not have serious impact on the unborn or the mother. On the contrary, it can be of medicinal value because it suppresses certain forms of cancer that are prevalent among the women.
HIV
HIV is prevalent in the society and it is one the leading causes of high infant mortality rates. Prenatal exposure to HIV aids makes the unborn highly susceptible to the condition through exchange of fluids and at birth. When a child contract HIV, they develop weak immune system that implies that they are likely to contract any diseases (Cnattingius, 2004). As a result, most of these children do not live to celebrate their first birthday. HIV has no cure yet, hence the best w...