Between 2010 and 2017, the U.S. saw a 131% increase in maternal opioid use disorder at delivery. There also was an 83% rise in cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome due to prenatal opioid exposure. Additionally, between 2016 and 2020, there was a 3.6% increase in prenatal substance exposure, including alcohol, with significant variation across states. The rising rates of substance use disorder (SUD) during pregnancy indicate that we are missing critical opportunities to identify and treat women in need. Pregnancy is a key time for intervention, as this care not only improves health outcomes for both mother and baby, but also taps into a period of increased motivation for women to reduce or stop substance use and begin medication treatment or seek additional specialized treatment.

A major reason cited for the lack of intervention during this critical period is that pregnant women with SUD often delay or avoid prenatal care due to fear of judgment, punitive actions or involvement with child welfare services. These barriers are even more pronounced for pregnant women and mothers of color, for whom stigma, negative perceptions and discrimination combine to create unequal access to high-quality care and inequitable treatment within social service systems.

Full article: https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/substance-use-disorder-eliminate-systemic-inequities