Expand Perinatal Treatment and Support for People with SUDs

Return to  Opioid Top-Level Strategy Map or ZOOM MAP - Expand Steps to Minimize Opioid Use During Pregnancy or Pregnancy during Opioid Use

Overview

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.

Key Information

Relevant Research

Impactful Federal, State, and Local Policies

Promising Practices

Perinatal Addiction Treatment Program

Perinatal Addiction Treatment Program - Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
Program Highlights

• Integrated Care Model: Includes maternity care, substance use treatment, behavioral health/psychiatry, pediatrics
• Participant Drive Design
• Private setting 10 minutes from hospital campus
• Tablet-based SBIRT screening
• 18 week parenting class

Outcome Successes

• Perinatal: Average gestational age is over 38 weeks; Average birthweight in the normal range
• Decreased NAS treatment rate
• Decreased neonatal LOS
• Effective use of technology for screening
• 2/3 of participants remain in treatment postpartum

Centering Pregnancy

While not specifically focusing on issues of addiction or substance misuse among pregnant women, the CenteringPregnancy approach has the potential to cost-effectively improve prenatal and perinatal care among women who may be using or be addicted to opioids or other substances. It is a group approach to prenatal and perinatal care. 

Available Tools and Resources

TR - Expand Perinatal Treatment for Women with SUDs

Sources