Unborn child abuse includes which of the following?

• A. Serious physical harm to the unborn child caused by habitual lack of self-control in the mother’s use of alcohol or controlled substances
• B. Neglecting a newborn after birth
• C. Domestic violence without affecting pregnancy
• D. Non-physical emotional support

Answer: (A)

Unborn child abuse is about actions during pregnancy that seriously harm the fetus or place the fetus at serious risk due to the mother’s pattern of behavior. The best choice captures that idea: repeated, habitual use of alcohol or controlled substances by the mother that leads to physical harm to the unborn child. It emphasizes the pattern and the direct impact on the fetus, not events after birth or non-physical factors.

The other scenarios don’t fit because they involve things that occur after birth (neglecting a newborn), or they describe violence or conditions that don’t affect the pregnancy (domestic violence with no pregnancy impact, non-physical emotional support).