Deal Us In
What You Need To Know
Pregnant people face some of the most severe health, social, and legal consequences for using criminalized drugs. They are routinely subjected to dehumanizing stigma, insufficient access to evidence-based treatment, and punitive responses - including separation from their children.
Health professional bias, stigma, and discrimination can negatively affect the quality of care and the individual’s experience of health care. In a 2003 study, 76% of nurses felt anger toward pregnant people who used substances.
Among pregnant and postpartum persons, fatal drug overdose increased approximately 81% from 2017 to 2020.*
Detox from all opioids carries serious health risks for pregnant people who are dependent on opioids, yet misinformed providers often persuade people to cease all opioid use during pregnancy.* This is dangerous and must stop.
Methadone and buprenorphine remain the gold standard of care during pregnancy and lactation because it reduces negative effects on the pregnant person and fetus/newborn and alternatively, detoxification increases the risk of relapse and overdose death. * +
A harm reduction approach for service providers includes being willing to discuss MOUD and an individual's goals other than abstinence, such as improving housing, nutrition, regularity of prenatal care, and safety, all of which are crucial for a healthy pregnancy.*
Where to Go for More Information
Expecting Better: Improving Health and Rights for Pregnant Women Who Use Drugs
Clinical Guidance for Treating Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorder and their Infants
Examples
Educating birthing unit staff and providers on implicit bias and harm reduction supports postpartum overdose education.*
Educating L&D staff about lactation and substances.
Treating the birthing person's partner who may also use substances like a person worthy of participating in the birth of their child.
Research
US Trends in Drug Overdose Mortality Among Pregnant and Postpartum Persons, 2017-2020
A Real-world Comparison of Methadone & Buprenorphine for Opioid-dependent Pregnant Women
Universal Postpartum Naloxone Provision: A Harm Reduction Quality Improvement Project
Evaluation of a Training to Reduce Provider Bias Toward Pregnant Patients With Substance Abuse
Leaders To Know
Lynn M. Paltrow founder of Pregnancy Justice (originally National Advocates for Pregnant Women) in 2001.
Additional Resources
The year after childbirth is the deadliest for addicted women by Christine Vestal, Stateline for the PBS News Hour
Women who use drugs: Issues, needs, responses, challenges and implications for policy and practice from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
Pregnancy Justice We defend the civil and human rights of pregnant people, focusing on poor people, people of color, and people who use drugs