Reducing Stigma Among Providers Caring for Pregnant Patients With Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review of...

The prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) among pregnant individuals has risen alongside the opioid epidemic, contributing to increased maternal morbidity and mortality. Many pregnant individuals with SUDs experience significant stigma and bias from the healthcare system, which discourages them from seeking necessary care. This stigma, often exacerbated by fears of child protective services involvement, can prevent patients from engaging in treatment, thereby impacting maternal and fetal health. Reducing stigma among healthcare providers and nurses is critical to improving care and outcomes for this population. This systematic review aims to identify and compile primary literature on interventions designed to decrease stigma in providers and nurses caring for pregnant individuals with SUDs.

We conducted a systematic search of Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Embase using comprehensive terms related to substance use, healthcare providers, stigma, and pregnancy. Only primary research articles were included, with exclusions for review papers, meta-analyses, and commentaries, as well as studies focused on unrelated topics (e.g., prescriptions, schizophrenia, psychosis). Using Covidence software, we screened 2308 articles, with 558 duplicates removed automatically. Double-blind title and abstract screening resulted in the exclusion of 1330 articles, leaving 420 for full-text review. After applying inclusion criteria, 19 studies were included in the final analysis.

The 19 included studies represented a wide range of educational interventions designed to reduce provider stigma toward pregnant individuals with SUDs. Interventions included online learning modules, professional development workshops, clinical immersion experiences, and one arts-based program. While training formats and evaluation tools varied widely, most studies reported improvements in provider knowledge, confidence, and attitudes. However, fewer demonstrated sustained behavior change, and only a minority used validated instruments or long-term follow-up.

Stigma reduction interventions for providers caring for pregnant people with SUDs are becoming more common, particularly in response to rising perinatal substance use rates. Despite the effectiveness of many approaches, intervention and evaluation strategies remain non-standardized. Expanding access to training, especially in high-burden and under-resourced settings, and developing validated, scalable, and emotionally engaging education models will be critical to improving perinatal care quality and equity.