Society and Perinatal Drug Use

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Society and Perinatal Drug Use

• By Erin Sawatzky

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no known culture in the world treats the pivotal
life event of childbearing with indifference or
neglect (Pursley-Crotteau, 2001, p 49)
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What about the woman behind the pregnancy?
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What is her story?
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What if she

• Used this?

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Would you still listen to her story?
disgust
discrimination
uninformed drug testing
criminal
racism
incarceration
unfit mother
strict drug laws
child removal
crack baby
irresponsible
non-maternal
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Politicians, healthcare professionals, and the
general public arent listening
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Will you?
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Change the way you think
empathy
acceptance
beautiful
treatment
deserving
feminism
recovery
empowerment
capable
potential
human rights
loving
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and watch families grow
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References
Boyd, S. C. (2004). From witches to crack moms
Women, drug law, and policy. Durham, N.C.
Carolina Academic Press. Carter, C. S. (2002).
Perinatal care for women who are addicted
Implications for empowerment. Health and Social
Work, 27(3), 167-174. Jos, P. H., Marshall, M.
F., Perlmutter, M. (1997). Criminalization of
drug use during pregnancy A case study. In M.
R. Haack (Ed.), Drug-dependent mothers and their
children Issues in public policy and public
health (pp 91-109). New York, NY
Springer. Mendez, D, Jacobsen, P. D., Hassmiller,
K. M. Zellman, G. L. (2003). The effect of
legal and hospital policies on physician
response to prenatal substance exposure.
Maternal and Child Heath Journal, 7(3), 187-197.
Pursley-Crotteau, S. (2001). Perinatal crack
users becoming temperant The social
psychological process. Health Care for Women
International, 22, 49-66.