Introduction
Alcohol consumption among pregnant women of Canada is a rather common situation that causes plenty of problems as both maternal and infant health outcomes to depend on a woman. The issue remains controversial and legal due to its connection to women’s rights that are to be respected by law. Nonetheless, consumption of alcohol in the mentioned period of life may lead to severe birth defects and deviation in an infant’s development, including physical and psychological impacts. In this regard, maternal alcohol consumption is to be recognized as illegal as it violates the rights of an infant by hurting his or her health.
The rationale for Support of Unlawful Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy
At present, essential clinical and experimental material was accumulated on the effect of alcohol on pregnant women and their fetuses. It was revealed that consumption of alcohol by a woman before and during pregnancy leads to pregnancy toxicosis, miscarriages, premature birth, intrauterine malformations, and fetal weight deficit. In their article, Liu et al. argue that ethanol causes a dehydrated depletion in a fetus, impeding embryonic development due to the affection of chemical substances, which significantly increase the severity of the inhibited anomalies and pathology (382). Focusing on longitudinal latent class analysis, the authors revealed that mothers aged 26 are more susceptible to binge drinking compared to those who are younger.
Even irregular and seemingly moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages by a pregnant woman can contribute to the development of long-term changes in the brain of a fetus, the damage from which may not be immediately noticeable. Getting into the blood, alcohol, first of all, affects the cardiovascular system and liver, disrupting the development of brain formations that determine mental activity (Mateja et al. 32). Most importantly, binge drinking considerably increases congenital cardiac defect risks.
The study by Singal et al. presents a population-based cohort study of Manitoba mothers and issues regarding fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) (2). In particular, the article uncovers the consequences of FASD as well as the health and social service received by mothers whose children were diagnosed with this disease. The findings illustrate potential strategies to treat FASD the most valuable of which is prevention through the increased awareness of women.
Supporting the assumption to make maternal alcohol consumption illegal in Canada, it is appropriate to review corresponding articles that are associated with health and women’s rights. For instance, Gordon reckons that in some cases, involuntary treatment along with detention of enceinte women can be beneficial to protect a fetus from potential harm (184). Elaborating on the theme in the context of the utilitarian critical framework, the scholar assumes that the mentioned interventions should be accepted by law, thus making consumption of alcohol illegal for pregnant women.
In their turn, Uberoi and de Bruyn also consider the theme of women’s rights associated with compulsory treatment or other means of control (169). However, it is emphasized that a sensitive and individual approach is to be utilized to ensure fundamental human rights. For instance, Uberoi and de Bruyn pinpoint the case of the woman who “confided to a nurse her doubts about carrying the pregnancy to term but said she had ultimately decided to keep the baby” (166). From the above example, it becomes evident that confidentially terms were deliberately violated.
Conclusion
To conclude, it is essential to emphasize that the researchers provide critical information regarding the specified theme. They illustrate that alcohol can make significant physical and mental harm to both fetus and a woman. With this in mind, maternal consumption of alcohol during pregnancy should be unlawful in Canada.
Works Cited
Gordon, E. “State Intervention in Pregnancy: Should the Law Respond Thus to the Problem of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder?” The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, vol. 23, no. 1, 2015, pp. 156–188.
Liu, Weiwei, et al. “Maternal Alcohol Consumption During the Perinatal and Early Parenting Period: A Longitudinal Analysis.” Maternal and Child Health Journal, vol. 20, no. 2, 2015, pp. 376–385.
Mateja, Walter A., et al. “The Association Between Maternal Alcohol Use and Smoking in Early Pregnancy and Congenital Cardiac Defects.” Journal of Women’s Health, vol. 21, no. 1, 2012, pp. 26–34.
Singal, Deepa, et al. “Manitoba Mothers and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Study (Mbmomsfasd): Protocol For a Population-Based Cohort Study Using Linked Administrative Data.” BMJ Open, vol. 6, no. 9, 2016, pp. 1–20.
Uberoi, Diya, and Maria de Bruyn. “Human Rights Versus Legal Control Over Women’s Reproductive Self-Determination.” Health and Human Rights, vol. 15, no. 1, 2013, pp. 161–174.