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Compliance with prenatal care visits in substance abusers
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8063, USA.
Summary
Pregnant substance abusers in multidisciplinary care attended adequate prenatal visits but missed more appointments than low-risk patients. Outcomes were comparable, suggesting effective care despite attendance challenges.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Public Health
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Substance abuse during pregnancy poses risks to both mother and child.
- Multidisciplinary care models aim to improve outcomes for high-risk populations.
- Inner-city populations often face unique challenges in accessing consistent prenatal care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare missed prenatal appointments and outcomes between pregnant inner-city substance abusers and a low-risk patient population.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of multidisciplinary care for substance-abusing pregnant individuals.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 97 uncomplicated prenatal care patients and 88 substance-abusing patients.
- Comparison of demographic data, frequency of prenatal visits, and missed appointments.
- Analysis of birth weight and gestational age at delivery.
Main Results:
- Substance abusers were older with more prior pregnancies and children than controls.
- Both groups had similar numbers of scheduled prenatal appointments.
- Substance abusers missed significantly more appointments (1.6 vs. 0.7).
Conclusions:
- Multidisciplinary care facilitates adequate prenatal visit attendance for pregnant substance abusers.
- Substance abusers remain more likely to miss appointments, though the clinical significance requires further evaluation.
- Comparable outcomes suggest multidisciplinary care can mitigate risks associated with substance abuse in pregnancy.