Introduction
Pregnant women who struggle with drug abuse are a common and concerning topic for discussion. This is because their addiction may result to various complications and disorders, thus motivating people to offer various policies. Although some of them seem rather interesting, perhaps even helpful to some extent, it is important to consider the consequences that may follow and whether it would deteriorate the situation or not. The following text will review the outcomes of three policies: financial support for therapy, voluntary sterilization and criminal persecution. Then, there will be an explanation regarding whether the situation would improve or become significantly worse.
Discussion
Criminal persecution is one of the three policies and is oftentimes justified as a means of protecting unborn children. However, it is very likely that it will cause more damage than help; as such policies prevent women from seeking help for prenatal care as they struggle with drug abuse cases, e. g. opioid use disorder (Goodman et al., 2019). Mothers struggling with OUD fear facing persecution from child protection services, as they believe they may lose custody over their offsprings. Besides avoiding care, they may resume using non-prescribed substances that have been notorious for increasing risks of neonatal abstinence syndrome. Thus, there are no benefits in implementing this kind of a policy, and the situation further worsens.
Voluntary sterilization is another option, albeit rather radical and filled with severe consequences as well. While this could prevent women from potentially harming their baby, as they will not have one, there is an ominous uncertainty which may complicate this decision. First, some studies state that this procedure positively affects women’s quality of life, while others claim the exact opposite (Youseflu & Sadatmahalleh, 2020). Second, drug abuse is especially common among women with depression and anxiety, which, in a way, justifies some doctors’ concerns regarding that sort of decision (Gannon, 2022). Thus, this kind of policy should be implemented with considering one’s individual circumstances, which may help clear some misconceptions.
Finally, the third and best option is supporting women financially to acquire therapy for their condition. There are many dire consequences in case there is no treatment, such as preterm labor, placental abruption and fetal convulsions (NIDA, 2021). Hence, it is crucial for them to acquire access to treatment, as it not only improves women’s health and that of their children, but motivates the entire family as well. Implementing a compassionate approach to care may help with addressing the mothers’ and children’s needs (SAMHSA, 2022). Thus, out of all the offered policies, financial support for therapy is the best one, as it motivates prevention and treatment, which, in turn, causes the improvement of this situation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are three policies offered to combat the issue of pregnant women struggling with drug abuse: voluntary sterilization, criminal persecution and financial support for therapy. The first one is rather radical and is included with contradicting information, with some studies depicting positive effects and others describing the negative ones. This policy can only improve the situation if it is implemented with individualization. Criminal persecution is the worst idea out of the three, as it prevents women from seeking the necessary care. This, in turn, increases extra risks of NAS and makes them use other substances. Finally, the last solution, financial support for therapy is the best one, as it encourages recovery and prevention. Drug abuse cases, such as OUD, are associated with serious complications, which further emphasizes the need and importance of this policy. Thus, it could help successfully combat this problem with fewer negative outcomes.
References
Gannon, J. (2022). What are the addiction treatment options for pregnant woman? Recovery First Treatment Center. Web.
Goodman, D., Whalen, B., & Hodder, L. C. (2019). It’s time to support, rather than punish, pregnant women with substance use disorder. JAMA Network Open, 2(11), e1914135. Web.
NIDA. (2021). What treatment is available for pregnant mothers and their babies? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Web.
SAMHSA. (2022). HHS announces new reports and grant program addressing the health needs of pregnant women and children affected by substance use. SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Web.
Youseflu, S., & Sadatmahalleh, S. J. (2020). Psycho-sexual influence of sterilization on women’s quality of life: A path model. Web.