New Approaches to Brief Intervention on Substance Use During Pregnancy

Tasnim Nathoo, MSc, MSW, RSW, Lindsay Wolfson, MPH, Karen Gelb, MA, and Nancy Poole, PhD

ABSTRACT

In Canada, the context for providing brief intervention on substance use during pregnancy is shifting with new opportunities for enhancing discussion of alcohol and other substances, due to the introduction of novel nicotine delivery products (e.g., vaping), the legalization of cannabis, and the crisis in the use of prescription pain medication. The midwifery model of care is very well suited for open, collaborative conversations about substance use, as there are opportunities for ongoing and supportive relationship building throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and into the postpartum period. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which brief intervention on substance use in the perinatal period can be a key component of midwifery care.

KEYWORDS

alcohol drinking, pregnancy, substance-related disorders, women