Drug Addiction and Pregnancy - 783 Words

Running head: DRUG ADDICTION AND PREGNANCY 1 Drug Addiction and Pregnancy University of South Florida September 15, 2012 Drug Addiction and Pregnancy After reading about various topics regarding drug addiction, it wasn’t easy to narrow down this topic. Drug addiction and pregnancy was the topic found to be most interesting. Estimates based on court documents, news accounts, and data collected by attorneys representing pregnant women indicate that at least 200 women in more than thirty states have been arrested and criminally charged for their alleged drug use or other actions during pregnancy (Moore, 2010). Should pregnant women struggling with drug addiction be criminally prosecuted? This is a†¦show more content†¦It is this writer’s belief that these babies should be cared for by another family member or child welfare agency until the mother can prove that she is responsible. This would be measured by the mother attending counseling sessions where she learns about the dangers of drug abuse and she would also undergo random drug testing to assure the child will be safe in her care. References Bradley, A. (2011). Prosecuting Drug Addicted Pregnant Women. Retrieved from http://jama.jamanetwork.com Hulsey, T. (2008). Prenatal Drug Use: The Ethics of Testing and Incarcerating Pregnant Women. Newborn and Infant Nursing Reviews, 5(2), 93-96. http://dx.doi.org/http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.lib.usf.edu/10.1053/j.nainr Moore, D. G. (2010). Pregnancy Related Recreational Drug Use. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10552/1196 Morris, M., Seibold, C., Webber, R. (2012, April). Drugs and having babies: An exploration of how a specialist clinic meets the needs of chemically dependent pregnant women. Midwifery, 28(2), 163-72. Retrieved from http://ebscohost.com.ezproxy.hsc.usf.edu/ehos Szazbo, L. (2012). Number of painkiller-addicted newborns triples in 10 years. 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