Everyone agrees that a pregnant woman shouldn’t smoke crack or snort meth, right? And the consensus that they shouldn’t smoke cigarettes or throw back a six-back every night is fairly ironclad, as well. Beyond obviously harmful behaviors like alcohol and drug use, however, things get more complicated. And with good reason: Mothers’ own needs and health must be carefully balanced with the needs and health of potential children they’re carrying. After all, pregnant women aren’t simply baby incubating machines. But try telling that to the state of Alabama.
Of course no one wants pregnant women to be using drugs. And the advances in our knowledge about neonatal development and what affects it are a great thing. I’m glad we’re learning more and more about how what happens in the womb can have incredibly long-lasting effects. But the question now is: What do we do with that knowledge? Do we use it to try and help pregnant women make the best decisions they can? Or do we use it to punish pregnant women who don’t? More »
