Smoking can also damage your baby's lungs. Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have: •An ectopic pregnancy •Vaginal bleeding •Placental abruption (placenta peels away, partially or almost completely, from the uterine wall before delivery) •Placenta previa (a low-lying placenta that covers part or all of the opening of the uterus) •A stillbirth Babies born to women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to be born: •With birth defects such as cleft lip or palate •Prematurely •At low birthweight •Underweight for the number of weeks of pregnancy Babies born prematurely and at low birthweight are at risk of other serious health problems, including lifelong disabilities (such as cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and learning problems), and in some cases, death. Secondhand smoke Breathing in someone else's smoke is also harmful. Secondhand smoke during pregnancy can cause a baby to be born at low birthweight. Secondhand smoke is also dangerous to young children.
Substance Abuse in Pregnant Women While pregnant, it is important that a woman takes care of her body not only for herself but for her unborn child. While in the womb, a fetus grows and develops from the nourishment from the mother via the placenta. However, along with nutrients, any toxins in the mother’s system may be delivered to the fetus. These toxins often cause damages to the development of organs. Substance abuse among women while pregnant is happening more frequently than it should.
Working with babies from birth to 12 months The main factors that affect the health and development of babies in there first year are smoking, alcohol, drugs, quality of care and love, stimulation, nutrition, infections, medical conditions and genetic factors. Smoking restricts the amount of oxygen they receive in the worm and it affects their growth and development. When woman smoke during pregnancy their unborn baby is at risk of a low birth weight. Prematurity is a risk as the baby would find it difficult to develop and the woman would give birth before 38 weeks. Other related effects that include a higher incidence of cot death and asthma.
In this essay I will examine how smoking, alcohol and the mother’s diet influence prenatal development. Cigarette smoking is proven to have a negative effect on the smoker so how could it be any different for a fetus exposed to nicotine. Researchers have found that smoking and drinking are associated with disturbances in the placental functioning and with changes in maternal physiology that lead to oxygen deprivation and may produce structural and functional changes in the brain of a fetus ( Mavis Hetherington & Ross Parke). Mothers that smoke have a higher increase of infants being born with growth deficiencies rather than non-smokers. Also common with maternal smoking is Sudden Infant Death Syndrom (SIDS).
Lesson 2 Essay During your pregnancy there are many hazardous agents that should be avoided at all costs in order to prevent birth defects and disorders. These agents are known as teratogens and can have a negative impact on your unborn child. Teratogens can include prescription and nonprescription drugs, alcohol, tobacco, environmental pollution, illegal drugs, infectious diseases and radiation. Illegal drugs, such as cocaine, heroin, and methadone, can cause very serious and permanent physical and mental defects. Illicit use of these drugs can lead to low birth weight, breathing difficulties, death, and of course the possibility of the baby being born addicted to the drug.
The Effects of Maternal Substance Abuse on Children Before and After Birth Abstract Maternal substance abuse is a major problem in today’s society and can cause severe damage to children before and after birth. This paper examines the effects that maternal substance abuse has on children before and after birth. The most common substances abused by pregnant women are alcohol, cigarettes, and illicit drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. Studies show that 27% of women abuse one of these substances while being pregnant. Each substance can cause severe and permanent damage to children before and even after birth.
Unplanned pregnancies constitute to the mother feeling more depressed as she now is expecting something she never intended to happen. Often, unplanned pregnancies may cause aspects like premature delivery and other complications, which bring more worry from a mother’s point of view. Unwanted pregnancies can often have a long term affect on mothers simply because the mother now has to look after a baby when she did intend to or expect to do so. Therefore, such a factor is regarded as high-risk when associated with Post-Natal Depression. In terms of the hormonal changes when giving birth, many hormones change in the body, thus triggering a greater chance of the mother suffering from Post-natal depression.
A mother who smokes two packs a day could take over a pound and a half off the baby’s weight at birth. The baby could also have problems such as underdeveloped lungs and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Women who smoke while pregnant can cause a number of health issues for their baby. Not only will smoking harm the baby, but it also harms the person who is smoking in the first place. There are over 4,000 harmful chemicals in cigarettes.
Research with animals suggests that alcohol crosses the placenta and diffuses throughout the fetal tissues the same that it does in the adult tissues. Alcohol as a toxin seems to disrupt the normal growth sequence; the developing fetus cannot later “make up” for these disruptions (Kinney, 2012, p.163). Impairments often reported in people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) may have multiple contributing factors. For instance, poor prenatal care, poor nutrition and maternal stress during pregnancy. Several studies have shown that children with FASD experience custody changes such as foster care, adoption or being institutionalized (Paley et al.,
Growth of the fetus is likely to be insufficient and premature birth defects are more common with these drugs crossing the placenta, constricts the blood vessels reducing blood flow to the fetus (Agin, 2010). The reduce blood and oxygen supply to the fetus slows the growth of bones and intestine. The use of over the counter drugs and prescription drugs can act directly on the fetus causing damage and abnormal development leading to birth defect and death. It can also cause the muscles of the uterus to contact forcefully, reducing the blood to trigger pre-term labor and delivery (Agin,