The duration of the child’s life while still in the womb is very important, and it is up the mother to take every precaution to ensure the well being of her child. Alma Montano Saddam, writer for Ohio State University Extension, explains that getting regular prenatal care from a doctor, eating properly, not putting any mind or mood altering drugs into the body, and not taking any over the counter or prescri

The results vary from one to another depending on the women, her usage amount, diet, lifestyle, culture, and whether she received prenatal care. Dekker explains that it is extremely difficult to establish a control group of drug users and non-drugs users and. The women who are addicted to drugs may not take the same amounts, or take drugs with the same purity (Dekker 194). Merith Cosden writer for Journal of Drug Issues states that identification of specific drug effects is disadvantaged by the fact many use several drugs and also smoke to complicate the problem even more (Cosden 525). Dekker explains that the majority of studies have raised more question than answers, since it is difficult to establish casual relationships of drug intake and adverse effects (Dekker 525). The relationship between drug use and child outcomes is complex, along with many physiological and behavioral tribulations.

Several studies have suggested multiple factors in environment that are associated with substance abuse. Zambrana notes that a central risk marker for the association between substance use and adverse birth outcomes is poverty or low socioeconomic status. Maternal sociodemographic characteristics include being unmarried, unemployed, having less than 12 years of education, and low socioeconomic status. Due to the fact that these women don’t have enough money poor nutrition and low weight gain result. These women cannot get prenatal care and generally do not have the support of the baby’s father or anyone else (Zambrana 255). This cycle of poverty is sucking more and more in as the possibility for people to move up in the world decreases.

After birth, if the child is lucky enough to make it, many obstacles are put in front of the child. Calhoun notes that Prenatal Substance Afflicted Children (PSAC) display bizarre behavior. They have poor visual perceptual skills, poor fine-motor dexterity, and reduced gross motor dexterity. Many of the PSAC are ADHD, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, display aggressive behavior, bizarre eye movements, poor speech development, learning difficulties, inability to make friends, very disobedient, and have sudden outbursts of running (Calhoun 34). This unfortunate child can’t help the trials and tribulations put in front of them and have to find and way to cope.

Heroin, a highly addictive depressant, is another commonly used drug among pregnant women. Calhoun notes that newborns exposed to heroin prenatally have low birth weights and size, excessive trembling behavior, profuse sweating, excessive sneezing, extreme yawning behavior, poor sleeping patters, reduced sucking and eating ability and an increased risk of SIDS (Calhoun 33). The health risks associated with drug use and pregnancy are enumerable and plague the lives on many.

Some topics in this essay:
African American, Alaska Native, Syndrome Calhoun, Josephine Gittler, Encyclopedia Britannica, According Cosden, PSAC ADHD, Journal Medicine, George Calhoun, Mexican American, drug abuse, zambrana notes, substance abuse, american women, white women, drug choice, prenatal substance, pregnant women, lass 103, drug pregnancy, african american women, birth size weight, premature birth size, mexican american women, increased risk sids,