I am interested in this topic because substance use is one of the leading factors of birth defects and the development of the child. The reason why I wanted to talk about this specific topic is because I want others to know that during pregnancy, any form of substance should not be taken in. My personal experiences that made me decide on this topic is because of my younger brother. He is 9 years old and he has ADHD due to his mom’s use of substances while pregnant with him. He is definitely the sweetest, silliest, and the most generous little brother. Whenever you feel down you can always count on him to cheer you up. He gives us so much to laugh about. Him having ADHD has never stopped him from doing his hobbies that he enjoys, for example dancing, singing, playing video games, going outside, learning/helping our traditional ways. He is one hyperactive kid but he does like to keep us on our feet, but he is the most special person to come into our lives. Substance Abuse in general has affected my family in many ways but never stopped us from being there and supporting each other. 

The concerns within my topic are significant and wide-ranging, they include, low birth weight, cognitive and developmental problems, miscarriages, heart defects, poor fetal growth rate, future health problems, behavioral issues, and various deformities. These are serious health concerns that have lifelong impacts on both the child and the family. One of the key issues I found in my article ‘Mum had no idea common pills caused serious birth defects until it was too late; Jade Wright had no idea the epilepsy drug she had been prescribed had potentially life-changing side effects’ is the story of a mother who took medications without being fully informed about its potential risks. The mother was prescribed medications to manage epilepsy seizure during pregnancy, but she was told to take folic acid with her medication to reduce the risks during her pregnancy. “She was never given adequate warnings about how the medication could affect her unborn child.” The article highlights a crucial point: “children that were exposed to valproate in utero have a 10% risk of congenital malformations and a 30-40% risk of neurodevelopmental disorders”. According to campaign group INFAC cited the underscore of significant risks that many pregnant women unknowingly expose their babies to when taking certain medications without being fully aware of the potential consequences. The substances that can cause these devastating birth defects are not limited to just one or two types of medications but are surrounded by a wide range of substances. These include alcohol, cocaine, lithium, male hormones, antibiotics, opioids, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and even marjuana. The impact of such exposure during pregnancy can be life-changing and can affect the child in heavy ways, from their health at birth to their development over the years. Children born with physical or developmental issues may face challenges related to how they are perceived by others and how they see themselves. These challenges can sometimes lead to a sense of being different or underrepresented, which can affect their self-esteem and their ability to connect with others. The use of substances during pregnancy and the results of birth defects can have major consequences not only for the child's health but also for their identity.

Indian of North America: Conflict and Survival

Kelly, Lawrence C. Federal Indian Policy. Chelsea House, 1990.

In the article “Indian of North America: Conflict and Survival” by Frank W. Porter III mentions the history and experiences of Native tribes. He also mentions that many conflicts they faced with the Europeans and  the government, but also their survival and resilience. They have faced many tragedies throughout their experience from the trail of tears that was mentioned. Natives were relocated from their homelands. Therefore they take a journey for many miles, suffering through the pain. The journey gave them body aches physically and mentally. They keep pushing through the pain while still keeping up their language. Even being forced out they were still keeping up with their identity. “American Indians resisted both actively and passively. They refused to lose their unique identity, to be assimilated into white society.” I wanted to incorporate this quote because it shows how they survived not going into the white society and wanting to keep up their culture and traditions. The history of Natives is very traumatic not only to them and their families but the community and Native population all together. This goes into my topic because all of these can lead to substance use affecting everyone especially the pregnant women and children suffering from the family's substance abuse. 

Indian Child Welfare Act: A Roadblock in a Native Child’s Pathway to Permanency

Gustafson, Melissa. "INDIAN CHILD WELFARE ACT: A ROADBLOCK IN A NATIVE  CHILD'S PATHWAY TO PERMANENCY." Alaska Law Review, vol. 40, no. 1, June 2023, pp. 61+. Gale Academic 

OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A765160617/AONE?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=ebsco&xid=6ed6d289. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

“Indian Child Welfare Act: A Roadblock in a Native Child’s Pathway to Permanency” by Melissa Gustafson talks about how ICWA is supporting Native children who end up in the childcare system. “Research shows that the Native Children nationwide are overrepresented in the foster care system.” I've decided to add this quote because there are many reasons why children end up in the foster care system. For example it could be violence in the home or towards the child could cause social services to come in place. Substances around the child that affect the children could involve social services. Native have the highest rate of children in the system. It was also talking about how Native children were being removed from their home and were placed with non-Native families. The Indian Child Welfare Act was then enforced so that children would be able to stay within their community. The only thing that would change is who they live with. They would stay with another family member or another family in the community. Initially, Congress expressed a preference for qualified expert witnesses to possess intimate knowledge of Native tribes' childrearing norms and practices. This has disqualified many Native witnesses who previously testified as experts based on their firsthand experience and knowledge of tribal norms.

Forced Sterilization of Native Americans: Later Twentieth Century Physician Cooperation with National Eugenic Policies?

Rutecki, Gregory W. "Forced sterilization of Native Americans: later twentieth century physician cooperation with national eugenic policies?" Ethics & Medicine: An International Journal of Bioethics, vol. 27, no. 1, spring 2011, pp. 33+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A297040573/AONE?u=nm_s_santafeis&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=96f91408. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

In the article “Forced Sterilization of Native Americans: Later Twentieth Century Physician Cooperation with National Eugenic Policies?” by Gerorge W Rutecki, MD. The troubling history of forced sterilization and abortions among Native American women is discussed. Rutecki examines how these women were subjected to sterilization and abortion procedures, often without their consent. the role of physicians in cooperation with national eugenic policies that sought to control and reduce the Native population. The article highlights the investigations that took place in the 1970s, shedding light on how these practices were carried out during routine medical procedures. Many Native women were sterilized as part of regular health checkups. they did not fully understand what was happening to their bodies or being informed about their rights. the article provided a powerful quote that i would like to incorporate,  “Genocide has already been realized thoughtout their tragic history.” I decided to incorporate this quote because it captures the broader historical context of indigenous people’s experiences in the United States. For Native communities, the actions taken against them are not isolated incidents but part of a broader effort to destroy their population and cultures. the term “genocide” is used here because, over centuries, Native Americans have faced numerous attempts to erase their existence, through removals,massacres, ultralight suppression, and this case forced sterilization and abortions. throughout history, many Native communities have been subjected to acts of genocide, and it was no different in the case of reproductive control. The IHS, along with other healthcare providers, performed forced sterilizations and abortions, targeting indigenous women who were seen as vulnerable and less likely to resist the procedures. Between 1972 and 1978, an alarming increase in the number of abortions was reported on Navajo Reservations, with one specific reservation being at 130% rise in abortion rates. The generational trauma resulting from these experiences has had a lasting effect on the health, identity, and culture of Native American communities.

The Truth Behind the Legend of Pocahontas

Harris, Johnny. “The Truth Behind the Legend of Pocahontas.” YouTube, 1 November 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oB6mGap99iU. Accessed 29 October 2024.

In the video “The Truth Behind the Legend of Pocahontas” by the PBS Origins Channel on Youtube was explaining what MMIP was and how Pocahontas was the first case for MMIP. Only 4000 stories were federal recognition in 40 years, 20 stories were broadcast on the news. Missing and Murdered Indigenous people was a crisis movement that was raising awareness to the high rates of murders and missing cases of the Native people. Homicide is one of the leading causes of death towards Native girls and women aged from just a child as of 1 year old to the late 40’s. Most than half of the women experience sexual violence that comes from non-Native men. Tai Leclaire was the host that did the video the truth behind the legend of pocahontas, he talked about how the movie disney made twisted things around. What was shown in the movie is not actually real. Yes, Pocahontas was a real girl but she was only just a child. The only thing that was true from the video is when Pocahontas is father the chief said “these white men are dangerous.” Natives were colonized a lot back then. The white men wanted the Natives to stop their culture. When Disney animated the movie they said it was inspired by a real life figure but little did they know that is not the actual story behind her, Pocahontas was kidnapped, raped, and then murdered. Which was then the first case of MMIP/MMIW. 

Lackluster Investigation May Perputuate High Native Infant Mortality Rates

Hassanein, Nada. “Lackluster Investigation May Perpetuate High Native Infant Mortality Rates” sourcenm.com, 5 august 2024,

https://sourcenm,com/2024/08105/Lackluster-Investigation-May-Perpetuate-High-Native-Infant-Mortality-Rate/.

In the article “Lackluster Investigation May Perpetuate High Native Infant Mortality Rates" by Nada Hassanein. The author discusses the concerning issues of sudden unexpected infant deaths in tribal communities. These deaths, which are often classified under Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUIDS) , have been an ongoing mystery for many years. The article highlights how Investigators were and are trying to find a reasonable explanation to why infants are passing away so suddenly. An expert cited “less is known about those cases.” I decided to incorporate this quote because they don't know why these things are happening. If they knew why some of these are happening I think they could help prevent these incidents from occurring. While reading this article it was devastating because there were children that were passing away at a young age. Most of the deaths of infants were unexpected. Most of all the deaths are happening in tribal communities. Most Native communities do not have medical examiners but also they have strained relations with law enforcements. With the communities not having a good relationship with the police they don't rely on the religious with delicate investigations. During these investigations no autopsy nor investigation of the scene had been categorized as incomplete. These must affect the partners, families, and community members in many ways. 

Fentanyl Misuse during Pregnancy Can Cause Severe Birth Defects

Edwards, Erika. “Fentanyl Misuse during Pregnancy Can Cause Severe Birth Defects,” NBc News, 2 August 2024, hhttps://www.nbcnews.com/health-news/fentanyl-misuse-during-pregnancy-can-cause-severe-birth-defects-rcn 64085. Accessed 4 November 2024

“Fentanyl Misuse during Pregnancy Can Cause Severe Birth Defects” by Erika Edwards delves into alarming consequences of moths using street drugs, particularly fentanyl, during pregnancy. The article emphasizes how substances can significantly harm unborn babies, leading to a range of severe birth defects and abnormalities. It also highlights the distributing content of mothers denying the use of alcohol or drugs while pregnant, even when their child shows clear signs of conditions like Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. A troubling quote from the article is “We anticipate that there will be many more patients.” This quote resonates deeply because it shows the growing number of infants who are likely to be affected by drug misuse during pregnancy. I chose to incorporate this quote because it speculates the concerning reality that individuals, particularly from communities, including Natives, are impacted by these issues in the future. It is honestly disturbing to learn that some mothers, despite the known risk factors, still continue to use drugs that could harm the unborn child. The effects of such drug use can make babies more vulnerable to a range of health issues, which could follow them into their adulthood. The more we understand the extent of these risks, the more we must focus on creating support systems that can help pregnant women make better decisions for the health of their babies and themselves.