The Effects Of Drugs & Alcohol To The Unborn Fetus
Chiqui Brosas on Nov 25 2007 at 6:10 am | Filed under: Childbirth
How do drugs travel to the fetus? Any drug or alcohol taken orally by the pregnant woman is absorbed by the baby. Through her mouth it enters the stomach. The drugs are absorbed by her intestines and is distributed through her bloodstream. It goes in the placenta and is carried by the umbilical cord to the unborn. The drug goes in the blood circulation of the infant and is pumped all over him. There are other ways on how drugs could enter the mothers system. It could be through intraveneous injection, smoked or even by sniffing chemicals through the nose!
The effects of alcohol and drugs to the baby are the following:
1.) SIDS
2.) Irritability
3.) Poor growth
4.) Risk of still birth
5.) Early infant death
6.) Risk of miscarrage
7.) Mental retardation
8.) Brain damage to babies
9.) Low birth weight babies
10.) Addiction and withdrawal
11.) Risk of small head and brain
12.) Birth defects & deformities
13.) Fetal alcohol syndrome babies
14.) Premature babies born 3 weeks early
15.) Impairs intellect & emotional develpoment
The mother carries a huge responsibility in caring for herself and her unborn. Anything she injests goes to the baby. She should not abuse herself. Instead, she must take responsibility and watch what she eats, smells, drinks and apply on her body.