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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJailing Pregnant women?
Torn on this. Tennessee just signed a law which :
"allows prosecutors to charge a woman with criminal assault if she uses illegal drugs during her pregnancy and her fetus or newborn is considered harmed as a result"
On the one hand, a child should be protected from the harm it may suffer - on the other hand, this law will have a disproportionate impact on poor mothers who don't have access or finances to help them. In particular Tennessee is a state that has a dearth of health care facilities and has refused Obamacare.
http://www.salon.com/2014/04/30/tennessee_just_became_the_first_state_that_will_jail_women_for_their_pregnancy_outcomes/
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)to these assholes. They don't care about the real outcomes of treating women this way "to protect the baby." They'll just create a class of mothers handling pregnancy without any medical intervention for themselves or the babies they birth.
It really is depressing to see how easy it is to sell shit like this.
Demo_Chris
(6,234 posts)You think it's okay for pregnant women to, for example, smoke crack or meth?
Ilsa
(61,695 posts)And I've seen this first hand with a family member:
This type of law will only make the pregnant woman avoid any kind of prenatal care, instead of getting help for her habit and getting high-risk obstetric care.
Furthermore, the lawmakers can use this absurd law to go after any woman with a less than perfect outcome, even if she had a completely normal-looking pregnancy.
uppityperson
(115,677 posts)ck4829
(35,077 posts)-Terri Lynn Weaver, who sponsored the bill, on the lack of options for treatment and affordability.
Yes, that solves everything, just don't get into that.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)it's just some odd puritanical control they have to have.
Wait Wut
(8,492 posts)As the child of two alcoholic parents, both of whom also chain smoked, I can give you some first-hand info on what LEGAL drugs can do to an unborn child. But, all you have to do is Google it to find countless studies. That way I don't have to talk about it.
While I understand the concern that some have for the mother, the child is innocent in this and has no choice. Should a mother be forced to care for herself when pregnant? It's easy to say 'no' when you don't see the results of the mother's choices...until it's too late. These are life-long issues for the child that sometimes don't become obvious until the child is older, sometimes into adulthood. Does 'mom' get to party for 9 months while her child suffers for 50-80 years because of her decision? It sucks.
This is why we need to protect a woman's right to choose, provide easy and affordable access to birth control, and before we start throwing mothers in jail, let's try parenting programs and drug/alcohol counseling. Oh, and when that kid is born? Let's not just applaud a successful birth and walk away. Mom will need even more help once she's holding her new baby.
Iggo
(47,558 posts)Can't stand a one of 'em.