3
Metas de Enfermería

Metas de Enfermería

SEPTIEMBRE 2008 N° 7 Volumen 11

Drug abuse during pregnancy: an emerging problem

Section: Health and quality of life

How to quote

Fernández Tuñas MC, Prego Bonete R, Pérez Muñuzuri A. Drogadicción en el embarazo: un problema emergente. Metas de Enferm sep 2008; 11(7): 50-55

Authors

1Mª del Carmen Fernández Tuñas, 1Raquel Prego Boente, 2Alejandro Pérez Muñuzuri

Position

1Diplomada en Enfermería. PAC Bertamiráns. Servicio Gallego de Atención Primaria.2Pediatra. Servicio de Neonatología del Centro Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago de Compostela.

Contact address

C/ Restollal, 11-B, 3º G. 15702 Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)

Contact email: mctunas@mundo-r.com

Abstract

In spite of all the information provided by the healthcare sector and the media, there are still pregnant women who use drugs during their pregnancy. Even though maternal substance abuse habits have changed over the last few years, diseases observed in the foetus and newborn have not. Infants born of mothers who use drugs of abuse, whether they are legal or not, present an association to a high percentage of prematurity, miscarriage, low weight, abstinence syndrome, associated infections, social and family problems, etc. Smoking tobacco is the most common form of substance abuse, and although it seems to be decreasing, it is still a problem. A large percentage of people are not really aware of the potential effects of certain drugs. Many believe that smoking just two cigarettes a day, drinking a beer or a glass of wine once a day or on the weekend is not harmful to the foetus. For the last 30 years several measures have been applied to tackle the drug problem in the population, in the form of various programs aimed at drug abstinence that have been unsuccessful in achieving the expected outcome. In the past few years programs such as those known as “harm reduction” programs have been implemented. These programs are not aimed at abstinence but at improving drug addicts’ health, as well as methadone maintenance and avoidance of syringe exchange, resulting in a significant reduction of delinquency and infectious diseases. The establishment of prevention and population awareness programs is a key element for the reduction of drug consumption and its consequences. Case management and close follow-up are very important to avoid greater sequelae, and to increase the knowledge of healthcare professionals on the management of these situations.

Keywords:

pregnancy; drugs; abstinence syndromenewborn

Versión en Español

Título:

Drogadicción en el embarazo: un problema emergente