Pregnant and early parenting Indigenous women who use substances in Canada: A scoping review of health and social issues, supports, and strategies

Abstract

This study reviews and synthesizes the literature on Indigenous women who are pregnant/early parenting and using substances in Canada to understand the scope and state of knowledge to inform research with the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre of Winnipeg in Manitoba and the development of a pilot Indigenous doula program. A scoping review was performed searching ten relevant databases, including one for gray literature. We analyzed 56 articles/documents. Themes include: (1) cyclical repercussions of state removal of Indigenous children from their families; (2) compounding barriers and inequities; (3) prevalence and different types of substance use; and (4) intervention strategies. Recommendations for future research are identified and discussed.