Women with a substance use disorder: Treatment completion, pregnancy, and compulsory treatment

Over the last several decades, research regarding substance use treatment programs has focused on the unique and differential outcomes of male and female illicit substance users. Research less frequently examines the unique individual and contextual factors that may influence treatment outcomes. One such population that merits special consideration is pregnant women, as substance use within this population has deleterious effects for both the women and their unborn children. The current study employs propensity score matching to determine if pregnancy and referral source to treatment affect treatment program outcomes. Findings suggest that pregnant women, compared to similarly situated nonpregnant women, are significantly less likely to complete substance use treatment; however, pregnant women who were referred to treatment by the criminal justice system were significantly more likely to complete treatment than those who entered treatment by other referral sources.