Pregnant and parenting people with substance use disorders are a highly stigmatized group. Structural and interpersonal bias contribute to reluctance to engage in prenatal, postpartum, and well-child care for this population. Two studies described in the Journal of Addiction Medicine explore the implications of health care provider–family relationships on experience of care for birthing people with substance use disorders and their infants. Patient voices describe how intensive monitoring of infants for sequelae of substance exposure and that being scrutinized as caregivers undermined their confidence as parents, contributed to self-blame, and damaged their trust in health care teams.

Full study: https://journals.lww.com/journaladdictionmedicine/abstract/9900/self_fulfilling_prophecy__does_structural_and.250.aspx