Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine the prevalence of substance-exposed pregnancies at a hospital in the Great Lakes region of the U.S.
Method: Data were collected via retrospective chart abstractions of patients who were seen for delivery at one Great Lakes region hospital during a 1-year period who were given at least one of the International Classification of Diseases codes related to substance use.
Results: A total of 342 medical records were included in the analysis, and, while much race/ethnicity data were missing, a large percentage of those in our analysis identified as American Indian. The prevalence of substance-exposed pregnancies at this hospital during a 1-year period was 34.5%. The majority (84.8%) were tobacco users, and many were found to have multiple substance exposures. Also, 48.5% were found to have a mental health diagnosis in addition to substance use.
Conclusions: Data from this project can be used in prevention efforts, including preconception care for women at risk for substance use and mental health issues.
Background: Exposure to illicit substances during pregnancy may have long-term impacts on children's neurodevelopment. This study explores subsequent risks for intellectual disability, autistic disorders, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders in children born to mothers exposed to illicit substances before or during pregnancy.
Methods: We identified women with illicit drug use by linking the police records from the "Substance Abuse Control Databases" and Taiwan Birth Registration and Birth Notification records from 2004 to 2014.
This secondary analysis re-examined stories of caregiving told by NICU nurses in the southeast US through a trauma theory lens expanding on research surrounding substance-exposed pregnancies. Narrative analysis identified distress-related experiences of nurses related to child custody decisions and outcomes, suggesting traumatic stress within this caregiving dynamic. Four distinct story types and three themes were identified across 23 stories, highlighting similarities and differences and illustrating how distress and trauma were experienced and may be manifested in care practices.
Maternal substance use during pregnancy increases the risk of sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), with unsafe sleep practices contributing to this risk, particularly for families facing socio-economic challenges.
A study analyzed sleep-related SUID cases from 2015 to 2020, revealing that 14% involved infants prenatally exposed to substances, who were more likely to die while sharing a sleep surface with adults.
Findings indicate that targeted prevention efforts should focus on safe sleep practices and addressing the social vulnerabilities of families impacted by substance use to reduce SUID incidences.
Researchers need to find out what factors might put babies at risk of being taken out of their homes, especially due to their parents' substance use.
In a study with 1,808 parent-baby pairs, most of the parents were Non-Hispanic White, and many babies were exposed to drugs like alcohol and opioids before birth.
The study found that many babies with drug exposure didn't get to go home with their parents, and understanding how substance use affects placement decisions can help improve support for families in need.
Introduction: Among women at risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies (AEP), smoking tobacco may be associated with increased severity of alcohol use, and risk for tobacco-exposed and other substance-exposed pregnancies (TEPs/SEPs). Our secondary data analysis of the 'CHOICES Plus' intervention trial explored AEP and SEP risk by smoking status.
Methods: Eligible women (N=261) were recruited from 12 primary care clinics in a public healthcare system, not pregnant, aged 18-44 years, drinking >3 drinks/day or >7 drinks/week, sexually active, and not using effective contraception.
