Question

in your own words, what are your thoughts on possible requiring birth control for abusive or drug-addicted women, Depo-Provera for male sexual abuse offenders, and sterilization for mentally challenged teenagers? Be clear on each.

Answer 1

The use of birth control measures are methods to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Women who are in an abusive relationship or those who are use illicit drugs are always at a risk of unwanted pregnancy. The main concern here is that children born to such women are affected by the use of drugs by the mother. Mother's who are under the influence of drugs are deemed to be unable to care of the children. The use of drugs during pregnancy contributes to poor maternal and child outcomes and causes an increase in obstetric complications. Newborns suffer adverse short or long-term consquences as do infants whose mothers lacked access to quality prenatal care and adequate nutrition, this holds especially true in women in abusive relationships where they are denied basic rights. These include basic rights to self-care, self-opinion regarding the use of birth control measures to avoid unwanted pregnancies and proper nutrition. These women experience physical, emotional or sexual abuse by their husband or partner.

According to me, it is necessary to educate women with addiction problems because it reduces the chances of children being born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome or suffering through the horrors of neglect and child abuse. Even if a child is fortunate not to have mental or physical disabilities, they are mostly placed in foster homes since their mothers cannot care or provide for them and are moved from home to home. Women who are the victims of abusive relationship have an increased risk of miscarriage, low birth weight babies, and fetal injury or even death. Infants are born suffering from withdrawal after being born addicted to drugs; this is because the mother's addiction has passed on to the infant and it's first wordly experience are withdrawal symptoms. Prenatal exposure to cocaine might lead to an increased risk of seizures, depression, schizophrenia, and congenital heart defects. Exposure to heroin is linked to cognitive impairments such as lower IQ, poor memory recall, poor spatial recognition and hyperactivity. Mental retardation, emotional and psychological problems and negative behavioral issues are some of the consequences of prolonged drug or alcohol abuse by the mother. in conclusion, I believe that understanding the risks and delays associated with prenatal drug exposure is one defense against many of the above issues. Todays children form tomorrows world hence for a better future it is necessary to look into this issue at the root level. The use of different birth control methods including condoms, intrauterine devices, birth control pills etc should be made mandatory. This can be acheived only through social awareness and rehabilitative measures directed towards women who are drug-addicted.

Depo-Provera for male sexual abuse offenders

Depo-Provera or medroxyprogesterone is a form of synthetic progestin that is classified pharmacologically as an antiandrogen. Antiandrogen inhibits the release of the male hormone androgen from the testicles. It therefore induces a period of sexual quiescence in which the sexual drive is at rest. Depo-Provera is a favoured legal-medical management of male sex offenders. It influences the sexual pathways in the brain and the patient feels relief from an urge that was formerly insistent, commanding, and not subject to voluntary control. This lessens the feelings of libido and the mental imagery of sexual arousal. Depo-Provera together with counseling therapy helps in self-regulation of sexual behavior which is effective in rehabilitation of male sexual offenders. Since sexual offending is a social problem and public health issue it is necessary to use pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy methods to reduce reoffending among convicted male sex offenders.

Sterilization for mentally challenged teenagers

Mentally challenged are those who have a substantial handicap in mental or physical functioning. Sterilization is a metod of contraception that is available worlwide. The mentally challenged too have the right to marry, to engage in sexual activity, to have children and to control one's own fertility by any legal means available. However taking the above into consideration, it is also important to safeguard their rights. Recent reports have indicated that these individuals have been involuntarily rendered incapable of procreation because of social irresponsibility.