Pregnant Women and Substance Abuse

When a pregnant woman abuses drugs or alcohol, both she and her unborn child may suffer harm. In addition, substance abuse often creates or is accompanied by an array of social problems for the abuser and those around her. Harm to children born of substance-abusing mothers can be far-reaching, affecting both their physical and cognitive growth and development.

The need to study substance abuse by expectant mothers is vital in terms of the health and welfare of these women and their children. The social and economic implications for society as a whole are also important policy concerns.

A Mathematica study, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration, addressed the problem of substance abuse by pregnant women. The study, which analyzed special programs that implemented outreach, screening, and innovative treatment to improve birth outcomes for pregnant substance abusers enrolled in Medicaid, provides insights into the challenges of identifying and serving this very high-risk population. Click here to view the executive summary from the full report. To order the full report, contact Publications.

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