A 40 month follow‐up of pregnant drug using women treated at Westmead Hospital

Abstract

A 40 month follow-up of 84 women admitted to a study of the outpatient management of pregnant heroin users is reported. Fifty-eight of the patients were on methadone at the time of their delivery while a further 26 remained on heroin at delivery. The whereabouts of 61 patients were identified at the time of follow-up but only 46 consented to interview. Twenty-three could not be traced even utilising the services of the Departments of Corrective Services and Community Services. The general health of mothers and babies was reported as good to excellent and only one child was in the care of the State. Many patients on methadone at delivery had exited the programme whereas those on heroin at delivery were likely to be on methadone programmes at follow-up. A majority of all patients had had no new legal charges laid in the 12 months preceding the interview and if any charges had been laid they were likely to be traffic offences. Drug use, on the other hand, continued to be a problem even in those on methadone programmes. Up to 75% of patients in one group reported intermittent use of heroin and other drugs and these self reports were confirmed by urine testing. The data suggest that methadone does lead to a reduction in criminal activity and in daily drug usage but it does not completely abolish drug seeking behaviour. Overall, the results suggest that the use of methadone is safe for mother and baby and it has positive benefit in the management of pregnant drug users.