Title: Barriers to screening pregnant women for substance abuse Introduction: Drug and alcohol use in pregnancy poses a threat to the neonate’s development and the obstetric provider has an obligation to screen for substance use. Substance use in pregnancy can place the developing fetus at risk for in-utero opioid dependence, fetal-alcohol syndrome, preterm labor, and other consequences of maternal alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use.(6) Within the past three years La Crosse County has seen a marked increase in the amount of heroin use.(7) The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) has clearly documented how instrumental the Obstetrician can be in screening patients for alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use. (1,12) The standpoint of ACOG, is that drug screening should be implemented in a non-judgmental fashion which will not deter the woman from seeking prenatal care. (12) In doing so the Obstetrician can facilitate a healthy trustful relationship with their patient in which the patient feels safe to discuss their substance abuse and seek help without fear of litigation.(12) Many methods of screening have been implemented including neonatal sampling of hair and meconium, maternal urine screening, and maternal self-reports.(11) In considering wide-spread feasibility, self-report measures have been commonly used, some more known and validated methods include the 4 P’s plus and TWEAK. (4,5,13) In the clinic visit, the Obstetrician may also implement a brief motivational interview to assess the patients willingness to change. The Treatment and Intervention Protocol recommends the FRAMES Approach where the providers give feedback, responsibility, advice, menus of change options, empathy, and empowers t... ... middle of paper ... ...lin, and Kevin Grumbach. "Screening and Intervention for Intimate Partner Abuse Practices and Attitudes of Primary Care Physicians." The Journal of American Medical Association 282.5 (1999): 468-474. JAMA. Web. 25 Nov. 2013. 20. Gassman RA. Medical specialization, profession, and mediating beliefs that predict stated likelihood of alcohol screening and brief intervention: Targeting educational interventions. J Subst Abuse. 2003;24(3):141–156. 21. Miner KJ, Holtan N, Braddock M, Cooper H, Kloehn D. Barriers to screening and counseling pregnant women for alcohol use. Minn Med. 1996;79:43–47. 22. Davis, PM, TL Carr, and CB La. "Needs assessment and current practice of alcohol risk assessment of pregnant women and women of childbearing age by primary health care professionals.."Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 15.2 (2008): 214-222.Pubmed.gov. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.
Stover, C. S., Meadows, A. L., & Kaufman, J. (2009). Interventions for intimate partner violence: Review and implications for evidence-based practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 40(3), 223-233.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a group of problems a newborn experiences when exposed to addictive drugs that the mother consumes during pregnancy. NAS is a growing concern in the United States and can have significant adverse effects on newborns. Shortly after birth, the infant can display many physical symptoms of withdrawal. In addition, substance abuse during pregnancy can cause premature birth, low birth weight, seizures, birth defects, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), and possible long-term cognitive and behavioral problems. The 2010 results from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings reported incidence of substance abuse among pregnant women within the United States....
NAS has turned into an epidemic espicially in the state of Tennessee a little more than 320 babies were born with NAS in 2013. Tennessee was the first state to start keeping track of the number of cases of NAS. NAS occurs when pregnant women take drugs such as heroin, codeine, oxycodone, methadone, or buprenorphine (“Babies are being born addicted to drugs”). This happens when the substances pass through the placenta that connects the baby to its mother. Then the baby becomes dependent on the drug like the mother. Hospitals began treating these cases with morphine, by administering a dosage of morphine every few hours as needed and reducing the dosage until the baby was better. During this process doctors need to keep a look out for the babies since the morphine can cause them to stop breathing. A baby born with NAS usually suffers from low birth weight and respiratory problems. Heroin and cocaine are some of the most common drugs being abused, and they both have short and long term effects other than withdrawal symptoms: Such as ph...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggestion that a pregnant woman should not drink alcohol during pregnancy (Advisory on alcohol use in pregnancy 2005) has been widely criticized as being unnecessarily paternalistic, but the CDC goes further into explaining that, “Alcohol consumed during pregnancy increases the risk of alcohol related birth defects, including growth deficiencies, facial abnormalities, central nervous system impairment, behavioral disorders, and impaired intellectual development” (Advisory on alcohol use in pregnancy
Although domestic violence is a significant societal problem, which continues to receive public and private sector attention, intervention and treatment programs have proven inconsistent in their success. Statistics by various organization show that many offenders continue to abuse their victims. Approximately 32% of battered women are victimized again, 47% of men who abuse their wives do so at least three times per year (MCFBW). There are many varying fact...
In thinking about helping someone develop a safety plan in case they find themselves in an intimate partner violence or IPV situation, I turned to a woman I know that is soon to be married. The couple has had some quarrels that verge on verbal abuse off and on for the past year. Although none have resulted in physical violence, learning about intimate partner violence allows me to see aspects of relationships in a different light than I have seen them before. The potential victim with whom I have chosen to facilitate the safety plan does not consider her relationship to be abusive, nor do I. However, the victim, Crissy, could use a plan of action if the verbally abusive fights begin to take a physical nature. This reflection will include the summary of developing the safety plan, the issues the plan brought up, and the emotional reflection of both the victim and myself. It is important to note that all names have been changed for the sake of confidentiality.
“Can I consume even a miniscule amount of alcohol?” a common, yet preposterous question asked by numerous pregnant women. The common answer given by doctors is yes, you may. Many women don’t know, but according to nofas.org, women who drink as little as two glasses of wine per day can adversely affect their offspring’s effectiveness at school. According to the Institute of Medicine 1996, “Of all the substances of abuse (including heroin, cocaine,and marijuana), alcohol by far produces the most neurobehavioral effects in the fetus”. Fetal alcohol syndrome is a possible outcome of drinking while pregnant. This horrid disease can cause aberrant facial characteristics, growth deficits, brain damage that results in mental retardation, hyperactivity,
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The discussion session is very informative regarding to the resources available to substance-abused moms and pregnant women. It is thought provoking to know the statistics of drug and alcohol used during pregnancy. Growing up, I was taught not to abuse drug or alcohol for a simple reason, addiction. At some point, I heard from multiple people that substance-abused could tremendously affect us in some shape or form. Especially during pregnancy, the consequences of such behavior would put an innocent life at risk. Hence, I think it’s easily to blame on the mother for any unfortunate consequences experiences by the newborn. Yet rarely, many of us would pause for a second and ask “why”.
When I was a senior in high school one of my classmates was pregnant and abusing cocaine during her whole pregnancy. This upset me so greatly and it still does today when I think about it. I felt angry with the mother, concerned and scared for the child, and I also felt confused about exactly what consequences the mother would face if anyone ever found out. Chapter fourteen in our textbook covers "Fetal Abuse": The Case of Drug-Exposed Infants, so naturally I became very interested on the subject. One of the issues brought up is criminal court response and whether the use of illegal drugs during pregnancy should be prosecuted. This is a controversial issue in our society that is very important to me. Currently, no state has passed legislation that actually makes it a "crime" to abuse drugs while pregnant. "Instead, criminal prosecutions have been based on existing criminal laws, which were never designed or intended to govern prenatal conduct." (Sagatun, Edwards 1995)
Do you ever wonder what a child’s life is like after being born into drug addiction? It is important for all Americans to be aware of what goes on behind the scenes of a drug-exposed newborn. Babies born to drug addicts cost society a great deal of money as soon as they are born because they suffer from illnesses and learning disabilities, so there should be greater penalties for drug abusing mothers. The first main topic is how dangerous it is for a mother to take drugs during pregnancy, and the consequences it has.
Kennedy, Bernice R. Domestic Violence: A.k.a. Intimate Partner Violence (ipv). New York: iUniverse, 2013. Print.
They found that "women who aborted a first pregnancy were five times more likely to report subsequent substance abuse than women who carried to term and they were four times more likely to report substance abuse compared to those who suffered a natural loss of their first pregnancy (i.e., due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, or stillbirth)". Their findings support prior cited studies showing such a link.