M4

PERINATAL TOXICOLOGY: DRUG SCREENING 101

Presenters: Kavita Babu, Resmiye Oral

Abstract Category: Medical 

Instruction Level: Advanced

Presentation: Click Here

Description:

Efforts to develop a statewide policy on perinatal illicit drug screening & intervention

Abstract:

Purpose: This presentation will review the interdisciplinary efforts to develop a statewide perinatal illicit drug screening and intervention policy in Iowa.

Method:  Two studies looked into PIDS practices in Iowa birthing hospitals at large and at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clincis.  Following these two studies a statewide collaboration was established to look into the need to develop a statewide policy on PIDS and intervention practices.

Results: During the workshop, statewide efforts, subsequent to the results of these studies and literature review on nationwide PIDS policy development efforts will be presented.

Discussion: Child exposure to illicit drugs starts as early as conception.  If this is not recognized early enough, children are discharged to drug using homes.  They are further exposed to drugs or abused and neglected.  Risk based targeted screening of pregnant women and their offsping is widely accepted.  However absence of structured protocols on PIDS, health care providers may fail to screen all eligible pregnant women and infants.  Literature indicates statewide legislative action or consensus on how to manage perinatal illicit drug use/exposure increases child protection by increasing health care providers’ willingness to perform appropriate screening.