"Because of the baby": reduction on drug use during pregnancy

• Main Authors: Eliza Maria Tamashiro (Author), Helaine Maria Milanez (Author), Renata Cruz Soares de Azevedo (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Instituto Materno Infantil de Pernambuco.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 1806-9304; 10.1590/1806-93042020000100017
• Keywords: Pregnant women; Drug users; Drug abuse; Pregnancy; Brief Intervention; Gynecology and obstetrics; RG1-991
• Source: Revista Brasileira de Saúde Materno Infantil

Abstract Objectives: evaluate changes in the use of psychoactive substances (PAS) throughout pregnancy. Methods: longitudinal study, with pregnant women users of PAS at a prenatal follow-up. Results: 76 pregnant women used: tobacco (84.2%, n=64), alcohol (73.7%, n=56), cocaine (27.6%, n=21), marijuana (26.3%, n=20) and crack (13.1%, n=10). Spontaneous interruption had occurred in 60% (n=6) of crack users, 57.1% (n=12) of cocaine and 50% (n=28) of alcohol. After the Brief Intervention, 78.9% (15 of the total of 19) of alcohol users and 70% (7 of the total of 10) of marijuana users discontinued the consumption and there was a reduction in smoking cigarettes. Conclusions: the spontaneous reduction in the consumption of PAS and after the interventions, pregnancy is a window of opportunity to reduce the use of drugs.