Pregnancy and Substance Abuse

Abstract

Problematic substance abuse in pregnancy is prevalent in the US population. There are many challenges in the diagnosis and management of pregnant women with substance abuse disorders. Early identification of certain substance-dependencies in pregnant women improves maternal and fetal outcomes. Pregnancy in the substance dependent women should be co-managed by the obstetrician-gynecologist and addiction medicine specialist. Healthcare providers, including those outside obstetrics and gynecology, can make a significant impact on improving pregnancy outcomes by providing compassionate, non-judgmental, supportive care lo these women with complex physical, emotional, social, and environmental characteristics of addiction. Infants born to women who used substances during pregnancy should be closely monitored by a pediatric healthcare provider for neonatal abstinence syndrome and other effects of maternal substance use. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)