Pregnant Women

Although throughout the United States activist and educational campaigns have flooded U.S citizens with education on the detrimental effects of maternal alcohol consumption, women are still continuing to consume alcohol while pregnant. Fifty three percent of non-pregnant woman drink alcohol, and despite health warnings, twelve percent of pregnant mothers in the United States still consume alcohol (Pruett &Waterman & Caughey, 2013, p. 62). Fetal alcohol exposure is also believed to be widely underreported in the United States (Pruett et al., 2013, p. 66). Current research concludes that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, nor a safe time during gestation for alcohol consumption to take place (National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome [NOFAS], 2014). Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is an umbrella term used for the various conditions that maternal alcohol consumption causes. Although each case of FASD can present differently, cognitive disabilities, facial deformities, and growth retention are a few of the hallmark adverse effects that alcohol has when it enters fetal circulation (Paley & O’Connor, 2011, p. 64). The United States is impacted economically by these debilitating conditions as well, as it costs our nation $746 million dollars annually to care for these children (Bhuvaneswar, Chang, Epstein & Stern, 2007, p. 3). Nurses in America, and across the globe have a key role in helping to eliminate, and minimize adverse effects of these conditions

The fetus is not the only one harmed by alcohol consumption during pregnancy, but the mother is as well. In fact, many doctors urge women who think they are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant to stop drinking (“Fetal Alcohol”). “One percent of all mothers consume fourteen or more drinks per week during the three months before pregnancy” (Walsh 3). To the average person one percent is not too large of a proportion. However, the volume of alcohol consumed is high during

Cigarette smoking increases a wide range of issues, with prematurity (20-30%) and low birth weight (which doubles) being the most probable. The first trimester is considered a critical time for growth as the fetus is beginning to develop organs. If a woman smokes only in her trimester and then quits, she has put her fetus at risk of developing a birth defect. Also, the second and third trimesters are important as well due to the fact that neurological defects result if a woman is smoking

National surveys show that about six out of every ten women of child-bearing age 18-44 years old use alcohol, and slightly less than one-third of women who drink alcohol in this age group binge drink. Excessive exposure to alcohol during pregnancy can inflict serious, permanent physical and mental damage on her child like Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders (FASDS), Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), miscarriage, and premature birth. Although men are more likely to drink alcohol, and drink in larger amounts, gender differences in body structure and chemistry cause women to absorb more alcohol, and take longer to break it down and remove it from their bodies. Upon drinking equal amounts, women have higher alcohol levels in their blood than men, and

A pregnant woman’s lifestyle ultimately affects the development of her baby. Drinking alcohol when you are pregnant has been shown to cause harm towards the unborn baby as it develops in the mother’s womb. Mothers who drink alcohol while pregnant have a higher risk of their baby having long-term

Smoking and drinking not only damages the user’s body, but also causes mental and physical deformities of the fetus. Drinking alcohol and smoking while pregnant leads to brain damage and birth deformities of the newborn child. The chance of miscarriage increase along with the possibility of the baby being born early. A premature birth results in delayed comprehension, behavior problems, and lung deformities. Specifically, drinking while pregnant leads to growth problems and spinal damage to the infant. In the long-term the individual will need countless surgeries, braces, and pain medications. “Some research has shown that expectant moms who have as little as one drink a week are more likely than nondrinkers to have children who later exhibit aggressive and delinquent behavior.

The first developmental stage of the life span is prenatal development. A major environmental factor in this stage is the mother. “Women who adopt healthy eating patterns during pregnancy not only contribute to fetal well-being, but also reduce the likelihood of developing chronic illnesses and enhance overall health” (Fowles, E., & Fowles, S., 2008, p. 149). Furthermore, “heavy drinking during pregnancy is associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders involving outcomes as intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), placenta abruption, stillbirth, spontaneous abortion, birth defects, and neurodevelopmental disorders” (Meyer-Leu, Y., Lemola, S.,

Pregnancy can be an intimidating, confusing and complex period in a woman’s life, as babies don’t come with instruction manuals. While the environment and lifestyle that an infant is raised in is solely up to the parent’s discretion, there are basic principles and expectations that every pregnant woman is held to. A fetus’s well-being and health depends exclusively on the lifestyle of his or her mother. Whatever mom inhales or ingests, the baby receives the same substance. With this biological partnership in place, a mother must be conscience about what she ingests—as many substances that are okay for adults are toxic to babies. In regard to consumption of the teratogen alcohol, a woman must consider the implications at risk relating to the

Alcohol plays a major role in society today. We consume alcohol for many purposes such as gatherings, holidays, or self fulfillment. One of the most frowned upon things that come with drinking in our society is drinking during pregnancy. Nonetheless, consumption of alcohol during pregnancy can result in pathologies for the mothers fetus leading to growth, mental, and physical birth defects, also known as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. The severity of the effects from this syndrome can vary and are divided into two separate categories; Alcohol-related neurodevelopment disorder and alcohol-related birth defects. Each of these will have a long term effect on the child. No amount of alcohol is safe to consume during pregnancy.

According to Hill, Young, Burley, Carter & Lang (2013), smoking amongst teenage girls is the most popular risk factor during pregnancy. The numerous effects of smoking while pregnant are (a) premature births (b) still births (c) miscarriages and (d) low birth rates. There are fifty seven percent of teenage mothers that smoke

On average, one in thirteen pregnant women have admitted to consuming one or more alcoholic beverage in their previous thirty days of pregnancy (“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders”). Though one drink may seem miniscule in the scope of an eight to nine month pregnancy, any amount of alcohol exposure can be detrimental to a developing child, leading to life-changing disorders such as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Fetal alcohol syndrome, a severe potential consequence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, starts when a pregnant woman drinks an alcoholic beverage according to Mayo Clinic (“Fetal Alcohol Syndrome”). Alcohol enters the bloodstream and then can travel throughout the body. Alcohol

Previous research displays vast implications regarding the effect of tobacco on neonates. Some effects of prenatal tobacco exposure include, low birth weight, reduction in body length and head size, greater risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, disruption in the normal development of neuronal reactivity, reduced sensitivity to auditory stimuli, reduction in visual attentive skills, and withdrawal behaviors.

Even a small amount of alcohol has the potential to hurt the child. The unborn child of a person who occasionally drinks is at risk of receiving fetal alcohol effects. This condition causes children to receive some of the same of the same effects that come from fetal alcohol syndrome. A child may not receive any of these conditions due to a mother’s alcohol consumption, but there are still some potential effects. Evidence shows that when a pregnant mother consumes an average of two alcoholic beverages per day, her child may have a lower amount of intelligence and is also at risk for having mental retardation. Also, there is research that suggests that even low quantities of alcohol consumed during pregnancy can have contrary effects on the child’s behavioral and psychological functions, and can cause a child to exhibit behaviors such as hyperactivity, unusual nervousness or anxiety, and poor impulse control. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can also cause children to have less accuracy in their spatial and visual reasoning later in their lives. Due to these results, Sarah should be advised to not drink alcohol while she is

Alcohol is used is commonly used an integral part of many social gatherings and often accompanies many meals and is for the most part culturally sanctioned. Moderate use of alcohol is believed to have some positive qualities such as prolonging one’s life, reducing the risk of dementia, and provides some cardiovascular benefits (Lehne, 2013; Robbins & Cotran 2012). However, alcohol use during pregnancy in this day in age has been considered a taboo. Many women even have different views on drinking alcohol while being

Substance abuse in pregnant women is a worldwide problem and has become more common in recent years (Keegan et al, 2010). Exposure to drugs and or alcohol in utero can have lasting and damaging effects on the fetus. Miscarriage, developmental retardation, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and neonatal morbidity are common complications of maternal substance abuse (Vucinovic, 2008). Despite the improved awareness developed from extensive research, the incline in addicted women getting pregnant is highly concerning. The poor physical and mental state of these women also impacts the health and development of the fetus. Often, the mother is malnourished and does not have the means to carry and birth a healthy child (Vucinovic, 2008).