SAMHSA News Release

Date: 5/10/2012 12:05 AM
Media Contact: SAMHSA Press Office
Telephone: 240-276-2130

New report shows more than one in five pregnant White women smoke
cigarettes

Study shows significant differences in substance use rates among Blacks,
Hispanics, and Whites

A new report shows that 21.8 percent of pregnant White women aged 15 to
44 currently (within the past 30 days) smoked cigarettes. The study
conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration (SAMHSA) also showed that cigarette smoking levels among
pregnant White women were significantly higher than the levels among
pregnant Black women (14.2 percent) and pregnant Hispanic women (6.5
percent) in the same 15 to 44 age range.

In terms of current illicit drug use, however, the report found that the
rate among pregnant Black women (7.7 percent) was significantly higher
than among pregnant White women (4.4 percent) and pregnant Hispanic
women (3.1 percent).

The rate of current alcohol use among pregnant Black and White women is
roughly the same (12.8 percent and 12.2 percent respectively), but their
levels were substantially higher than pregnant Hispanic women (7.4
percent)

Overall, pregnant Hispanic women in this age range were less likely to
use alcohol and cigarettes than pregnant Black and White women.

“When pregnant women use alcohol, tobacco, or illicit substances they
are risking health problems for themselves and poor birth outcomes for
their babies,” said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. “Pregnant women
of different races and ethnicities may have diverse patterns of
substance abuse. It is essential that we use the findings from this
report to develop better ways of getting this key message out to every
segment of our community so that no woman or child is endangered by
substance use and abuse.”

SAMHSA’s Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Center for Excellence
sponsors a number of state-of-the-art programs for addressing the
problem of substance abuse among pregnant women. These programs include:

*         Project CHOICES-Reaches out to women at risk of having an
alcohol-exposed pregnancy before they become pregnant to provide
information and help.

*         Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) – Helps identify and
provide assistance to people in need of treatment. The program uses a
simple written assessment of alcohol use and a 10-15 minute intervention
with pregnant women who report drinking.

*         Parent-Child Assistance Program (P-CAP) – The program uses an
intensive paraprofessional home visitation model to reduce risk
behaviors in women with substance abuse problems over a three-year
period.

These programs implement evidence-based interventions and have helped
many pregnant women lead healthier lives and improve the outcomes for
their children’s health. Click this link for more information about the FASD Center for
Excellence.

The report entitled, Data Spotlight: Substance Use During Pregnancy
Varies by Race and Ethnicity, is based on data analyzed from SAMHSA’s
2002-2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). NSDUH is a
scientifically conducted annual survey of approximately 67,500 people
throughout the country, aged 12 and older. Because of its statistical
power, it is the nation’s premier source of statistical information on
the scope and nature of many substance abuse and behavioral health
issues affecting the nation. Click this link for the full report

There will be an insightful and informative professional education session, Adolescent Pregnancy, on June 20, 2012. Click this link for more information on this professional education offering from Southern New Jersey Perinatal Cooperative.

Read this interesting article on Opioid Abuse, Dependence, and Addiction in Pregnancy.

You are invited to attend a workshop entitled ” Sleep Matters: Effects on Maternal Mental Health & Infant Behavior on Wednesday, June 6, 2012.

The session will be held at  8:00am to 4:00pm at Holy Name Medical Center ,Teaneck, New Jersey.

This conference will discuss the health consequences of sleep loss and review changes in sleep physiology during the perinatal period with a

focus on postpartum depression (PPD). Participants will learn about the relationship between maternal depression and infant sleep, behavioral

sleep treatment options for perinatal women with mood disorders and hear current advice regarding nighttime breastfeeding and PPD.

Get more information and register for this cutting-edge conference on sleep patterns and it’s affects on pregnancy and later infant behavior.

Register Now!

There is a study which looks at the effect of a pregnant woman’s weight and the brain of her child. Take a few minutes to read this study about pregnancy, weight and the health of an unborn babies brain by clicking this link. Tell us what you think.

New study suggests that a prenatal intervention program, for stopping substance use in pregnancy, could save almost $2 billion annually if it were implemented nationwide. Click here to read about this study aimed at reducing the risk of substance abuse with pregnant women.

Does your weight and diabetes affect your unborn child? Learn more by clicking on this link.