Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: A Growing Public Health Concern - Essay Sample

Introduction

Consuming alcohol during pregnancy has been observed to represent a foremost public health problem and constructs significant public attention in various nations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that nearly half a million infants are exposed prenatally to alcohol annually. As such, it is relevant to comprehend the magnitudes of prenatal alcohol exposure on children as it will also guide the policymakers. It is pertinent to note that prenatal alcohol exposure has been linked with several behavioral complications in children, and this includes conduct and attention problems and criminal behaviors. Studies have been undertaken to provide information on the issue and develop a wide-ranging understanding of the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on the behavioral development of children. The main element here is developmental concerns linked with low-moderate levels of alcohol exposure. The studies conducted have utilized specific methods and their outcomes measured. The results were then presented using descriptive statistics, and a discussion showed. The paper will entail an analysis of the impacts of maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy on birth weight and early behavior results.

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Rationale

The foundation of the study is based on specific details. Studies on prenatal alcohol exposure have been undertaken in the past. They have provided the best evidence, but it is still vital to have more methodologically thorough investigations. In this way, a wide-ranging comprehension of the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on the behavioral expansion of children will be developed. The primary element that needs to be investigated entails the development concerns linked with low-moderate levels of alcohol exposure.

Methods

The study utilized data on 1618 children born to women and who partook in the United States National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY). The NLSY is a countrywide symbolic sample consisting of 12,686 participants between 14 and 21 years when the survey began in 1979. The NLSY data constituted 6700 children born to the women partaking between 1986 and 2000. The other systematic sample comprised only children of 23 months to 4 years and who had at least one sibling born between 1986 and 2000. As such, young infants whose behavior was challenging to evaluate were eliminated leave 2132 children. Also, there was the exclusion of incidences with missing values for infant behavioral effects and prenatal alcohol utilization. The cases of prenatal alcohol consumption were (n= 371) and time-varying covariates excluded were (n= 143). It thus generated a sample of 1618 children. It is vital to note that most of the sibling groups in the sample encompassed two children. Nevertheless, it was not uncommon to have sibling groups with three or four children. Besides, the maximum number of children in a sibling group was five (Chen, 2012).

The study classified mothers as non-drinkers, light-to-moderate, and heavy drinkers. On the other hand, infant behavioral outcomes were evaluated by employing the improved Rothbart Infant Behavior Questionnaire in the NLSY. It measures three ranges of behavior effects, which are difficultness, fearfulness, and positive mood (Chen, 2012).

Results.The results showed that a adverse impact of maternal alcohol consumption on infant difficultness. It included even for light-to-moderate drinking. By inequality, there is no relevant link between prenatal alcohol exposure and constructive mood and anxiety in children. The study further depicted that prenatal alcohol exposure has a superior influence on infant difficultness than on infant birth weight. Despite irregular drinking during pregnancy lacking adverse impact on birth weight, consuming alcohol irregularly generates a statistically affirmative relationship with infant difficultness (Chen, 2012).

Discussion/Conclusion

The experimental evidence has shown that maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy is a risk aspect and may remain so for certain behavioral problems. As such, it has presented factual information, unlike other studies that are usually unauthentic. On the other hand, the authors critiqued their research statistically. They utilized descriptive statistics to analyze the results obtained and develop a certain analysis (Chen, 2012).

The research findings can be applied to personal and professional morals that may further affect people during their lives by altering behavior. As such, they may be used to discourage the maternal alcohol consumption and thus ensure that the infant develops efficiently health-wise and without any complications. On the professional moral aspect, the research findings can be quite vital to ensure that those in charge of guiding pregnant women, that is health practitioners lead by example. They will thus halt the consumption of alcohol within the health environment and set an excellent example to pregnant women. Besides, they will advocate for healthy living and ensure that they demonstrate it as well.

Critical Thinking

The research findings are in line with the content learned in human growth and development in specific ways. It has shown a crucial element that may have a negative impact on the proper growth and development of a child right from the infant stage. Furthermore, it has presented an adverse behavior that should be discouraged during the early stages of human growth and development. It is vital to note that the research findings can be a crucial guide to individuals during their lives. It has presented the adverse effects of alcohol consumption on proper growth and development. The research could thus apply to various fields such as parenting styles by discouraging alcohol consumption even in the presence of children. In this way, they will not acquire the behavior or urge to consume alcohol. It may also be fundamental to guide one on how to handle every stage of human development and the negative habits to avoid.

References

Chen, J. H. (2012). Maternal alcohol use during pregnancy, birth weight and early behavioral outcomes. Alcohol and Alcoholism, 47(6), 649-656.