Home > Drug use in pregnancy: challenges for health care workers.

Carmody, Deirdre and Geoghegan, Noreen and Sheppard, Rose and Keenan, Eamon and O'Connell, M (2010) Drug use in pregnancy: challenges for health care workers. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest, 20, (4), pp. 447-450.

A comparative study to examine maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women from a case load of a Drug Liaison Midwife (DLM) over a six year period, 2002-2007, compared with a similar study carried out in 1999 (Scully et al 2004) in the same locality, Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital, Dublin (CWIUH). In this study, 436 women met the inclusion criteria. All women were engaged with the DLM and obstetric services. This research compared and contrasted the pattern of drugs used, methadone dosage, obstetrical attendance and neonatal outcome in this group of women. The majority of women were stable in their drug use, attended adequate antenatal care and had a positive neonatal outcome. Results illustrate the importance of a good partnership approach to improving the care for pregnant opiate-dependent women..


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