Reduce Stigma for Pregnant Women with Opioid Addictions
Return to Opioid Top-Level Strategy Map or ZOOM MAP - Expand Steps to Minimize Opioid Use During Pregnancy or Pregnancy during Opioid Use
Current Status
- Many women have reported that they delayed or avoided prenatal care altogether out of fear of punishment[1]
- 18 states consider substance abuse during pregnancy to be grounds for child abuse.[2]
- Alabama's Supreme Court has upheld convictions ruling that a woman's substance abuse during pregnancy is criminal child abuse.[3]
- Tennessee is the only state to specifically criminalize drug use during pregnancy.[4]
- A number of states require healthcare professionals to report or test for prenatal drug exposure, which can be used as evidence in child-welfare proceedings.[5]
- Most doctors recommend that pregnant women undergo a long-term treatment plan called drug-assisted stabilization using methadone, also known as harm reduction therapy. This treatment remains sustainable for a woman after she has given birth, because it's covered under Medicaid, so new mothers can still access the treatment, even after their six-week Medicaid-provided postnatal care is done. The treatment also doesn't subject a woman's mind and body through the stress of full withdrawal, allowing her to focus on caring for herself and her baby.
Tools & Resources
TR - Reduce Stigma for Pregnant Women with Opioid Addictions
The new (2018) Pregnancy and Opioids Guide from the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has a wide range of content, including a section on addressing stigma.
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