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Published Online: 4 September 2023

Polysubstance Use in Pregnancy: Surveillance, Interventions, and Next Steps

Publication: Journal of Women's Health
Volume 32, Issue Number 9

Abstract

Substance use during pregnancy increases risk for a wide range of adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Polysubstance use is common among people who use substances during pregnancy; however, the risks of combined substance exposures during pregnancy are poorly understood. In this report, we provide an overview of the activities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and partners and identified gaps related to (1) surveillance, (2) routine screening, and (3) prevention of polysubstance use during pregnancy. Efforts by CDC and other partners to reduce polysubstance use during pregnancy can improve the health of pregnant people and their infants and children.

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Disclaimer

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

cover image Journal of Women's Health
Journal of Women's Health
Volume 32Issue Number 9September 2023
Pages: 899 - 904
PubMed: 37552850

History

Published online: 4 September 2023
Published in print: September 2023
Published ahead of print: 8 August 2023

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Affiliations

National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA.
Elizabeth P. Dang
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Amy Board
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Suzanne M. Gilboa
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Steven J. Ondersma
Department of Public Health, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
Marcela C. Smid
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Julie H. Shakib
Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Kathleen T. Mitchell
FASD United, Washington, D.C., USA.
Lucinda J. England
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Cheryl S. Broussard
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Dana Meaney-Delman
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
John Iskander
Office of Science, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Shin Y. Kim
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Notes

Address correspondence to: Youngjoo Park, MPH, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA [email protected]

Authors' Contributions

Conceptualization: Y.P., E.P.D., S.M.G., S.J.O., M.C.S., J.H.S., K.T.M., L.J.E., C.S.B., D.M.-D., J.I., and S.Y.K.; writing (original draft): Y.P., E.P.D., and A.B.; writing (review and editing): Y.P., E.P.D., and A.B.; supervision: S.Y.K.

Author Disclosure Statement

The authors have no relevant disclosures.

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No funding was received in support of this project.

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