Over half of all pregnancies are thought to be unplanned.
When a woman with an alcohol dependence becomes unexpectedly pregnant, she will likely require assistance with her addiction. Finding out about an unplanned pregnancy may heighten the woman’s want to drink alcohol or use other drugs, as she may not know how to deal with the news. She may turn to alcohol to try to escape her stresses, but does not take into consideration the risk that she is taking at the expense of her unborn baby. As a treatment centre, services should be offered that are specialized for pregnant women and specifically helping them navigate the stress they are under using alternatives to substance abuse.
As a part of the substance abuse treatment services sector, you can aid in the fight against FAS through the encouragement of good habits and choices in women of childbearing age specifically regarding sexual activity and drinking alcohol. Strategies for doing this can include:
- Providing contraception, or simply encouraging the use of contraception in sexually active patients.
- Providing pregnancy testing regularly for patients.
- Providing further information on the effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, and directing clients to a health care professional who can provide proper prenatal care if a patient is already pregnant.
Mothers in recovery who have a child who has been diagnosed with FAS can turn to old habits easily, as caring for the child may be difficult and pose challenges. These mothers are patients who should be focused on and monitored, as they are at high risk of relapse.
How can addiction services be directed towards women who are already pregnant?
To provide expectant mothers with the care and support they need, services must be provided that emphasize the importance of sobriety for the sake of the mother, as well as for the safety of the child that will be brought into this world. An example of a great treatment centre that is already providing these services is the Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centre, with multiple locations across the United States. Detoxification and therapy is offered to patients, as well as prenatal care and monitoring from an obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN).
The entire program is very individualized and ultimately aims to help these women reach sobriety and decrease the risk of FAS in their babies. Patients need this individualized support in a non-judgmental environment where they feel safe to disclose personal information. Furthermore, the OB-GYN is on-site, so if a patient feels unsure of something, they can talk to them at any point.
Patients should feel supported so that they believe in themselves as a future mother. Their addiction does not own them, and ultimately they should feel in control of their lives.
Other treatment centres can use the excellent care that Retreat Premier Addiction Treatment Centre is providing for their patients as a guideline in providing specialized care for expectant mothers.