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Substance Misuse in Pregnancy - NHS Lothian

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The important role of partners needs to be recognised, and professionals<br />

need to ensure that, where appropriate, they are encouraged and<br />

supported to take a full and active role <strong>in</strong> pregnancy, childbirth and<br />

postnatal care. Women and their partners need to be able to make fully<br />

<strong>in</strong>formed choices about their care. They need timely, relevant and easily<br />

accessible <strong>in</strong>formation to help them make the choices they face. They also<br />

need prompt access to any treatment and care that they might need.<br />

Maternity care should be tailored to the needs of the <strong>in</strong>dividual woman<br />

and her family, focus<strong>in</strong>g on the safety of mother and baby. It should<br />

take <strong>in</strong>to account:<br />

� the needs and wishes of the woman and her family<br />

� her right to privacy and dignity throughout her pregnancy<br />

� her cultural values, beliefs, attitudes, and chosen lifestyle<br />

A family centred approach will create an atmosphere of normalisation and<br />

partnership that will engage the woman and her partner and foster the<br />

best possible outcome for mother and baby.<br />

Non-judgemental approach<br />

Service providers need to adopt a truly professional approach that is not<br />

led by views which are distorted by prejudice or limited by conventional<br />

stereotypes (Klee, Jackson & Lewis 2002). Professionals need to<br />

cont<strong>in</strong>ually exam<strong>in</strong>e their approach to care so that they can account for<br />

their practice <strong>in</strong> terms of what is <strong>in</strong> the best <strong>in</strong>terests of the woman and<br />

her baby and what is <strong>in</strong> accordance with the best available evidence and<br />

best practice.<br />

Establish<strong>in</strong>g early contact with pregnant women who have substance<br />

misuse problems and reta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g them <strong>in</strong> treatment and care is vital. This<br />

can best be achieved by creat<strong>in</strong>g a non-judgemental environment. Provid<strong>in</strong>g<br />

care with compassion, reassurance and encouragement will facilitate good<br />

contact. A non-judgemental approach is also a pre-requisite for obta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

the necessary details of the woman’s substance misuse and social<br />

circumstances. The woman needs to feel supported throughout her<br />

pregnancy and beyond. This means that professionals need to create a<br />

positive pregnancy experience for the woman, irrespective of risk and<br />

despite any difficulties that she may have.<br />

<strong>Substance</strong> <strong>Misuse</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Pregnancy</strong><br />

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