Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
The research paper sheds light on the adverse effects during and after pregnancy. The article gives the full perception of the woman’s use of cannabis while expecting a baby. In spite of legalizing marijuana in various countries throughout the world, women should deliver the high-quality care and attention to their fetuses inside the wombs. On the contrary, if women refuse taking care of a baby, it can lead to the plethora of abnormalities, including chest or heart diseases, breathing difficulties, the lack of brain development and cognitive skills. Every woman should be responsible for her baby’s safety, health, and growth within their wombs and during the lifetime.Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
Social principles, communities, the negligence of health and care – these are the parts of the contemporary world. Life is not simple, and people are not angels, but the task of every human being is to keep themselves and their inheritors up. Despite this fact, young people are more and more bound to live unreasonably today. In fact, it is quite apparent since some countries and societies consider smoking cannabis or hookah as a norm. It would be wrong to judge the whole nations, but it is not surprising anymore when more and more states legalize marijuana. If Mexico and the United States allow smoking weed, the countries as the United Arab Emirates or Singapore strictly ban it. People build their plantations for cannabis, sell it to people, and ‘enjoy’ their lives – at least that is what they say.Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
In fact, the more the world develops, the more women neglect their fetuses by smoking marijuana. Moreover, honestly, the number of them is terrifying. Scientists cannot understand the background of a so-called ‘phenomenon,’ but they assure the world that not only countries are responsible for deprivation, but people themselves.
Many scholars have researched and made statistics covering the problem of taking marijuana during pregnancy. One study found that about 20% of pregnant women 24-years-old and younger screened positive for marijuana (Röhrich et al., 2010). In fact, the number of such women is increasing as more and more of them do not feel ashamed for taking drugs while expecting a baby. They claim that the effect of cannabis is just for fun; however, they even cannot imagine its damage. It is sad how people replace medical cannabis aimed to decrease severe pain by the extra use without a medical purpose. Moreover, women spend their money on purchasing marijuana as often as they can which impacts her social status and finances. Perhaps, an adult may feel nothing while a fetus suffers from turnarounds inside a womb. This tiny creature is too weak to fight to the full, and it is also vulnerable to everything that it cannot live in the body full of chemicals and toxins.
doctors emphasize such consequences as low weight, premature birth, the lack of brain development and cognitive skills, the identical behavior in the future, depression, and anxiety, and even stillbirth. Taking marijuana for fun can lead to more disappointing outcomes than a mother-to-be expects and hope.
A fetus is weak by nature, so when a woman takes drugs, she lowers the baby’s strength to the survival of a womb. Some cases have shown that infants are likely to be in neonatal intensive care due to their weak body and low birth weight. The harmful substances in marijuana cause damage to the infant’s body and brain development. As a result, they may not meet the norm of physical development in the future (Minnes, Lang & Singer, 2011). Pregnancy is not a joke, and an expected mother should deliver the high-quality care along with avoiding any harmful substances inside her body. Even small stress can impact a fetus, so there is no need to talk about the adverse effect of weed on a baby. Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
Premature birth is a common thing among women who take any cannabis. Using marijuana on a regular basis can double or even triple premature birth. Many scientists note that using weed can lead to anemia, which implies low iron. Under these circumstances, a woman’s body is in the state of fatigue, stress, and has the loss of blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen to the organism. Consequently, a woman’s body does not have enough red blood cells and oxygen to function and develop properly, so a fetus is not able to struggle anymore. A woman is in charge of a baby, so the symptoms of anemia cause premature birth and an infant should get special care until it recovers entirely. Sometimes a baby has some health issues, such as brain defect, chest infections or even asthma, and poor eyesight. It is the significant stress for an infant to come out before three weeks (less or more) to the due date. In fact, it can also lead to severe heart disease or even diabetes. It is understandable if a woman does not want a baby, so she does not care what she eats or does, but still – harming a baby on purpose is the violation and absurd from the morality and humanity norms.
The marijuana chemicals negatively impact a brain’s development. At this part where everyone is sad: a mother, a child, and a baby’s inner system of an organism. The brain is the most powerful tool which controls every part of the body. Even physicians and scientists claim in their works that brain regulates the actions and states of bodies. So, children are likely to have brain damage and slow development due to these chemicals. The exposure of marijuana may lead to side effects not only after the birth but later in life. The effect of cannabis is quite equal to the impact of tobacco according to some research. Marijuana effects increase hyperactivity and impulsivity. It happens because of the head circumference. Some studies have shown that the circumference of ‘influenced children’ by weed differs from ‘non-influenced’ ones. In fact, it is a long-term effect of marijuana use. Moreover, the exposure of cannabis can cause mental-health problems and behavioral issues. Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
Regarding the development, it is essential to mention cognitive skills. If the baby’s growth is slow, so the cognitive skills are not advanced. It causes a wide array of problems during growing up as a child will lag behind his or her peers. A report by Bartholomew et al. suggested that cannabis use has a detrimental effect on prospective memory ability in young adults, but users may not be aware of these deficits (Bartholomew, Holroyd & Heffernan, 2010). Many dysfunctions appear in an infant’s body such as executive functioning. It locates in the brain’s prefrontal cortex and is responsible for making, controlling, and completing actions. So, in general, children fail to make or solve any decisions as they have low functioning within their brains.
Also, some medical academies and organizations state that there are many adverse effects, such as short-term impairment of attention, concentration, memory, and some problem of motor skills along with intention and reaction, oculomotor deficit, and others. Children are likely to have low intelligence which causes misunderstanding, carelessness, apathy, and others. Preschool or self-education at home may help to recover faster and increase cognitive and motor skills. Hence, using marijuana during pregnancy will lead a baby to the cognitive disability as a long-term effect.
Some scientific works have shown that during MRI brain scan that children exposed to cannabis take a longer time to recover and utilize parts of the brain that other children. The side effects can be visible at four and more years old when an offspring start learning and adapting the surroundings. With the legalization of marijuana, women will consider it no longer as drugs. Therefore, a vast amount of consuming weed may lead to infant’s brain deficit which MRI brain scan can examine thoroughly.Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
Over the past centuries, women even did not think of taking drugs during pregnancy. Family status was essential and valuable, and neglecting a baby was a taboo. Any reason could not harm such attitude. Thus, disregard a morning sickness, stomachache, or mood changes women could not harm their fetuses. Moreover, it was illegal to use illicit drugs at that time. Unfortunately, today is an entirely different era. Women are ready to confirm their drug abuse and talk about marijuana before and during pregnancy time.
Women should find other ways to reduce nausea, which are safer, than using cannabis. The deceptive concept is that some women claim that researchers and doctors do not know anything. Such women assure others that smoking weed during pregnancy will not lead to any side effects and their babies will be all right. Here they are: they delude confused women, so they start smoking marijuana without asking a qualified professional in a hospital.
Occasionally sociologists confirm that a child is bound to repeat parents’ actions as they see a true example of their family members. It is quite logical since every child wants to be like their father or mother, so he or she tries to resemble them. Furthermore, a plethora of scholars claim that a woman and her fetus surprisingly link to each other that an infant feels mother’s stress, anxiety, fear, happiness, sorrow, energy, and so forth. So, combining opinions of sociologists and scholars, it is apparent how woman’s actions, states, and emotions impact a fetus. That is why some studies reveal the connection and resemblance as the interchangeable parts in the relations between parents and children, so a baby will try to behave the same way. While children may not be drawn to marijuana at once, it is possible that they might be willing to consume other substances (Muckle et al. 2011). Besides, young people want to experience different things, such as smoking, drinking or taking drugs. Among persons aged 18 or older who reported lifetime marijuana use, almost 53 percent report first using marijuana between ages 12 and 17. About 2 percent report that they first used marijuana before age 12 (Morin, 2017). A deceptive point here is that marijuana is addictive while adolescents try to say the opposite. No one feels the side effect or adverse consequence until it is too late. So, a woman addicted to cannabis does not stop smoking it while expecting a baby; and plenty of scientists say how terrible it can be.Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
There is a statement that marijuana helps people to overcome depression and anxiety. Perhaps, it is true as some scientists say, but still – more and more scientific studies show the negative impact. Research shows girls (ages 14-15) who used marijuana daily were five times more likely to face depression at age 21. Daily use in young women was associated with an over five-fold increase in the odds of reporting a state of depression and anxiety (Morin, 2017). Smoking weed during pregnancy just because a woman feels lonely and sad does not work well. Based on some research, they have shown that a baby may be subjected to depression if a mother is addicted to marijuana. Diaz (2014) said, “The substance that the fetus has been exposed to changes brain chemistry which predisposed a child to depression.” So, if a baby has lack of brain development, she or he can have depression. It sounds interesting and probably quite odd, but everything is possible, depending on the amount of the marijuana use during pregnancy.
It is shocking to realize the number of women neglecting their pregnancy period and babies after their birth. The news tells about a baby’s death due to mother’s carelessness. Scientific papers present numerous studies about babies’ problems after birth. Psychologists and physicians note that smoking during pregnancy is a potential risk for stillbirth. The fatality rate has gone up, and one of the reasons is the cannabis use. Stillbirths and live births were classified as small for gestational age (SGA) if the birth weight was less than the 10th percentile for gestational age based on population norms (Alexander, Himes, Kaufman, et al., 1996). If this terrifying accident does not happen to one woman, it does not mean it cannot help the other one. In fact, the US stillbirth rate is similar to the infant death rate (6.51 per 1000 births) and affects almost 26,000 babies per year (MacDorman, Kirmeyer & Wilson, 2012). With the expanding and legalization of marijuana in many states, these adverse outcomes will be increasing, because women can find more ways to get marijuana within their countries.
Another point to mention is mutagenicity. Yes, there is a slight chance for a baby to have genetic abnormalities due to mother’s marijuana addiction. A study by Novotny et al. (1976) has shown a possible chemical basis for the higher mutagenicity of marijuana smoke as compared to tobacco smoke. These genetic changes can be severe and pass through the sperm, then to the egg, then to the woman’ ovum, and consequently, to her womb and a fetus. This chain causes a mutagenic effect; however, it is not a standard issue. Many parents abandon their children if they are disabled or have chronic and lethal diseases. It is hilarious as the reason for these abnormalities is their actions during pregnancy. Of course, there are other premises for disability and mutagenicity, but marijuana is becoming the one among these factors.Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
speaking of breastfeeding while smoking cannabis, it is out of the question. Some scientists have claimed that breastfeeding can negatively impact a baby’s health. Infants are more vulnerable to almost everything, toxins, and chemicals in particular than adults. The marijuana chemicals consist of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which makes a person high. These chemicals travel from the woman’s blood through the placenta to the blood vessels. Moreover, the final step of chemical’s pathway is travel from the umbilical cord to a fetus. The marijuana chemicals are too active and dangerous for a baby’s organism because it is weak and susceptible. Some studies have found traces of THC in the urine of babies which implies its adverse effect. Mothers should pay more attention to their actions and abandon anything which harms their children. Moreover, marijuana toxins located in a mother’s breastmilk in the first month of infant’s life can cause a delayed brain response for a year. It happens because a baby’s brain is still under development and it cannot take such high chemicals inside during first months. Therefore, breastfeeding connects a mother and a child, which plays a significant role in a baby’s growth.
Not only women taking weed are the only enemies to their fetuses. Potential fathers of the infants can also be a reason for babies’ defects in the brain. A woman’s womb is a shelter for a baby, so her attitude and actions to stick to normal pregnancy are one of the priorities. However, it is necessary to note that marijuana can cause some abnormalities in timing for man’s sperm. In normal sperm, hyperactivation occurs when the sperm is in the cervix, close to the egg. In the sperm affected by THC, hyperactivation occurs too early, and the sperm “burn themselves out” (DeNoon, 2003). It may cause some problems for a woman to get pregnant as her ovum cannot expect “damaged” sperm. What more interesting are the findings of “traces of THC in the women’s vaginal fluids can affect the sperm negatively. When sperm comes into contact with the vaginal fluid, it can then absorb the THC and show the same sort of effects that come from the man using marijuana (DeNoon, 2003). Both male and female are in charge of fertility, and both of them should be ready for the birth by keeping themselves healthy and fresh. Even if there is a slight chance for a baby to have health problems, it is essential for both parents to leave drug abuse. Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
The world rapidly changes and progresses, so do people. Societies become more and more open-minded and easy-going. World organizations and communities enact new laws and make various rules. Young people experiment with alcohol, tobacco products, weed, and even heavy drugs like heroin or cocaine. Some sociologists note that the family institute is gradually eliminating, and losing its essence and value. People care less about family basis which leads to such situations as abortion, divorce, the negligence of pregnancy. Throughout the globe, there are cases with the abundant use of cannabis for fun instead of medical purpose.
Many scholars examine and observe the increasing number of women addicted to marijuana, and even pregnancy does not prevent them from its use. Apparently, they do not care much about a fetus’s health state or its further development during a lifetime. Women intentionally harm a baby inside their wombs by using cannabis on a daily basis, and they forget the essential things: love, care, and motherhood. Some cases are more complicates as they seem. Sometimes a woman has an addiction, she wants to give it up, but she cannot: not because of laziness or apathy, but because of the habit. In this case, she needs a physician and a psychologist to help her come out of this state. Although many people see the world through the pink glasses, they still should understand that a baby is a gift from God. Also, every mature woman should take some steps with her baby’s growth, progress, and success throughout life. This statement is not a stereotype, if some people may think so, but this is the value of life.Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy
Unfortunately, today more and more states are legalizing cannabis. It is disappointing to see how countries ‘assist’ women in harming themselves and their fetuses. Why not try smoking marijuana if the state allows doing it? As a result, the findings of the research show the increasing number of premature birth or stillbirth, the lack of cognitive skills, and damaged brain. Women themselves confirm their addiction to cannabis and do not mind smoking it daily. Every qualified doctor or even psychologist should take some actions to reduce this terrifying number. Women should stay women. Babies should stay babies. Some healthy women would do anything to heal their children from any disease while the other part of women is destroying babies’ health.
Some people continuously live in horror, and they wake up every day just to enjoy one more day. Life is difficult, but people are the one who makes it more complicated by their rash actions and badly-thought out behavior. Ruining one’s life for fun would be wrong. Every woman should understand two things: pregnancy and parenthood should always be on the top of their lives. Effects of Marijuana during & after Pregnancy