NCJ Number
126835
Date Published
1990
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report to the Committee on Finance in the U.S. Senate presents an assessment of the problem of prenatal exposure to drugs and its impact on the health and welfare systems. It also determines the availability of drug treatment and prenatal care to pregnant drug addicts.
Abstract
Data was obtained from interviews with drug treatment officials, researchers, hospital officials, social welfare workers, and drug-addicted pregnant women; from the National Hospital Discharge Survey; and from medical records of 10 hospitals in 5 large cities. The findings of this report show that hospital procedures do not adequately identify drug use during pregnancy and that the number of drug-exposed infants is underestimated. Also, the results indicate that drug-exposed infants have more health problems and impact heavily on the social, welfare, and educational systems. In the five cities in the review, drug treatment was mostly unavailable, and women giving birth to drug exposed infants did not receive adequate prenatal care. Recommendations deal with outreach services to identify pregnant women in need of prenatal care and drug treatment. 6 tables, 5 figures, and 34 references