Substance Use Treatment for Addicted Mothers

A common misconception is that a woman’s drug use makes her infertile, but this is not the case: 80% of women with a substance use disorder who seek prenatal care or are about to deliver report that they were not planning to get pregnant. Zach and Michael are joined by Dr. Jonathan Weeks of Norton Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specials Group to dispel the myth, discuss the importance of contraception, weigh the benefits of medication assisted treatment to treat patients and prevent neonatal abstinence syndrome, and more. Dr. Jonathan Weeks serves as Medical Director of the Norton Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specials Group and Medical Director of the Norton Maternal Opiate & Substance Treatment Program (MOST) Program, which has evaluated and treated over 1,000 women suffering from opioid, benzodiazepine, alcohol, and methamphetamine use disorders.

Dr. Weeks has 30 years of private practice and academic medicine experience, during which he has been recognized for excellence in research, patient care, and teaching, and he is certified by the the American Board of Addiction Medicine. He partnered with Norton Healthcare in 2015 to create a new treatment model for pregnant women with substance use disorders.

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SHOW NOTES:

[6:25] Pregnancy and substance use disorder statistics.

[12:00] How do you tell someone, “You should use contraception.”

[13:55] How can the medical community respond to this?

[19:10] What is the gold standard of treatment for this population of pregnant women suffering from a substance use disorder?

[26:40] Vivitrol vs. Suboxone.

[28:54] Neonatal abstinence syndrome and the advantages of Naltrexone.

[35:40] What is the estimated time of recovery?

[37:40] Treatment centers need to provide contraception for women in their care.

Transcript

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About the Author

Landmark Recovery

Landmark Recovery was founded with a determination to make addiction treatment accessible for all. Through our integrated treatment programs, we've helped thousands of people choose recovery over addiction and get back to life on their own terms. We're on a mission to save one million lives over the next century. We encourage all those struggling with substance use to seek professional help.