Should Woman Be Prosecuted for Harming Fetuses

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Nija walker BW2 Should woman be prosecuted for harming their fetuses? Currently in most of the world there is no legislation against pregnant women harming their fetus. Some pregnant woman may also abuse drugs, alcohol or cigarettes during pregnancy. Studies have shown that the use of these substances can lead to birth defects in unborn fetuses. I believe woman should be prosecuted for these actions. One reason they should be prosecuted is I feel it is no different then harming a born child. Another reason is because then negative effects of substance abuse are extreme on fetuses. Lastly, drug addicted children of drug addicted mothers are at a higher risk of becoming substance abusers. I believe that woman who harms their unborn fetuses should be prosecuted to the same extent that some one who would harm a child. For example if a parent decides to neglect their child by denying them sufficient meals, proper shelter and medical care. Not only can illegal substances have negative effects on the outcome of the baby but it can also lead to premature labor, fetal distress and even fetal death. Nowadays it seems like many mothers really don’t think through the consequences of using drugs or smoking while being pregnant and I believe the government should take action and move forward. When a drug-abusing mother uses these substances and the baby is born the baby can have lifelong and mental problems. For example babies born to mothers who use crack cocaine during pregnancy “crack babies” usually have problems in areas such as cognitive performance, information processing and attention to tasks. These areas are vital for success not just in school, but also in life. For example lets say a drug-abusing mother who uses cocaine gives birth to a child. The child the mother has might be more prone to getting addicted to crack or other

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