Unborn Children at Risk for Exposure to Opiates

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on February 17, 2015 under Opiate Abuse, Prescription Drugs | Comments are off for this article

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a startling figure – more than 25 percent of all women who could become pregnant in the near future are taking prescription painkillers. This means that potential mothers could already be addicted to pills like OxyContin, Percocet or Vicodin. Since the withdrawal symptoms and cravings are so intense for these medications, mothers are more likely to abuse them while they are pregnant, exposing their unborn children to powerful and dangerous drugs before they ever take a breath of air.

While these drugs are meant for those suffering from chronic or acute pain, and only supposed to be provided for by a physician, the appetite for these pills is so intense that addicts have gotten around current restrictions. Sometimes a person with a valid pain issue and a valid prescription will sell their pills on the black market, prices can be as high as $100 per pill. Other times an addict will fake an injury or get copies of phony X-rays or a fake MRI. Once presented to a physician they can then acquire the pills necessary to fuel their drug habit. Other times doctors begin writing prescriptions to addicts who have no need for the heroin-like painkillers – essentially becoming drug dealers.

However a person gets a hold of these pills, it is clear that future generations are poised to feel the effects of this epidemic. Mothers who are dependent on or abuse narcotics or any other opiate-based painkiller put their unborn children at risk for birth defects and physical withdrawal pains from the drug.

Children who receive drugs prenatally have to go through a period of withdrawal upon being born. This means that they have become physically dependent to the drug and now that they are no longer receiving the drug through their mother they have to overcome severe withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms from narcotic painkillers include; vomiting, diarrhea, body aches and insomnia. These symptoms are often too much for grown adults to handle, let alone day-old infants.

This study is important because many pregnancies are not planned. Oftentimes when a person is leading a life that involves regular drug use they are unaware of how their actions can affect themselves and others.

Tags: , , , , ,

Arizona Newborn Loses Life Due to Mother’s Drug Use

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on October 8, 2014 under AZ Drug Rehab News | Comments are off for this article

Two and a half hours after being born, a newborn baby boy passed away in Tucson, AZ. When doctors looked into the reason behind the death they found that the baby had methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana in its system. As the hospital staff looked into the devastating turn of events they found that the baby’s mother had been abusing drugs while she was pregnant.

The medical examiner’s office released a report, stating that the cause of death was, “prematurity with substance abuse by his mother as a contributing factor to his prematurity and subsequent death.” Perhaps even more shocking than the mother’s alleged extreme negligence and reckless endangerment is that seven months later she has still not been charged with any crime.

The Tucson Police Department reported that they are still investigating the case; however some people are skeptical that anything is going to be done to avenge the baby’s death. The police department cites complicated loopholes regarding infant death so soon after birth as the main reason why no charges have been filed yet, they are still investigating to ensure that they have a solid case before committing to charges. It should also be noted that the baby’s mother was arrested on drug charges only one month prior to the child being born.

Drug and alcohol abuse during pregnancy is one of the most dangerous things a mother can do to her child. The baby becomes addicted to the drugs while still in the womb and can develop serious and life-threatening complications. Once born, if the baby survives, the child has to go through painful withdrawal in order to get off the drugs. Withdrawal symptoms are typically something that an adult cannot handle, let alone an infant. The types of withdrawal symptoms a baby may experience depend on what drugs the mother was abusing during the pregnancy.

If a mother was abusing heroin or any kind of opiate the child may experience painful flu-like symptoms, inability to sleep, severe aches and pains, cravings for the drug and vomiting. What is even scarier is that when a baby is going through withdrawals their heart rate increases and they become dehydrated.

Tags: , ,

home top

Pin It on Pinterest