Research Topic

 My research topic is the effects of drug and alcohol abuse during pregnancy. I chose this topic because it is interesting but not something society pays much attention to. The following are questions to help begin my research:
How does substance abuse affect the embryo or fetus mentally and physically?
What kinds of chemicals and/or viruses reach the embryo or fetus while the pregnant woman is taking alcohol or other drugs?
Does drug and alcohol abuse affect the embryo or fetus more than the woman? If so why?
How many reported cases are there of pregnant women using drugs or alcohol in the U.S.?
Does drug and alcohol abuse affect pregnancy only during the early stages or throughout the whole pregnancy?
How does the embryo or fetus react to the drugs and/or alcohol consumed?
Is there a way to possibly avoid the drugs and/or alcohol consumed from reaching the embryo or fetus?
 I think the most useful questions for my topic are those that involve looking at more than one resource to find the answer. Also that the answers to my questions are more than a sentence long. For that reason the how and why questions are the most useful.
 My topic is important because pregnant women should be aware of the harm they can cause their babies and themselves if they use drugs and/or alcohol. They may be putting their pregnancy at risk or cause their fetus to be born with defects. 
 

Mini-biography

My name is Dania; I am a first generation student attending school at West Texas A&M University. I come from a little town about five to six hours away near the Dallas area. I have 3 younger siblings with whom I really enjoy spending time with along with the rest of my family because they mean the world to me. Coming to college was a huge step for me because I am very close to family and I often get homesick. My best friend Fatima who is from the same town as I am has been a great help in the transition. We spend most of our time together whether it’s doing something fun or working on homework in the library.  I am currently a freshman and plan to major in nursing. I chose nursing as my major because I have a passion for helping others in need. My senior year in high school I took a course to become a certified nurse assistant to decide whether nursing was for me or not. I did my clinical hours in a nursing home helping out the elderly with their basic needs. What I liked most about my training at the nursing home was seeing how much the residents appreciated the help we were giving to them. My dream job is to become a neonatal nurse because I want to work with babies and I think they are super adorable.