QSIG Midday Talk: Services and care for women who use drugs in the perinatal period

Substance use in pregnancy is a multifaceted public health problem with many confounding factors and implications for the long-term wellbeing of both mothers and children. This National Institute for Health Research funded study aimed to understand women’s experiences of care, the range and extent of integration of health and social care services across the perinatal period. The study used a prospective longitudinal design, involving up to five in-depth interviews with 36 women in four different research sites in England and Scotland from early pregnancy up to 18-months after birth, tracking women’s experiences of care over time.

The presenters discuss women's complex histories of disadvantage and abuse, as well as their variable experiences of substance use treatment and maternity and post natal care in different research sites, leading to variable outcomes that had little to do with their hopes or motivations. They highlight a particular gap in mental health support for women who have lost care of their babies.

Dr Polly Radcliffe and Dr Emma Smith present findings from the Stepping Stones study.

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