Accidental overdose is a leading cause of death for new moms in the U.S.
There is a clear need to make resources more accessible to help moms with substance use disorder or in recovery.
Here, find resources for new and expecting moms with substance use history to support them through pregnancy, post-partum, and the first year of parenting as well as evidence-based interventions and high-value resources for service providers.
Resources for New and Expecting Moms
Statewide System Resources
Pregnancy, Postpartum, Infant Safety, and Family Support
Residential and Specialized Substance Use Support for Pregnant & Parenting Women
Prenatal Care, Addiction Medicine, and Medication-Assisted Treatment
Substance Use & Maternal Health Research Briefs
We summarize the latest research on evidence-based interventions and high-value resources for service providers in the following briefs:
Substance Use and Pregnancy
Childbirth and Early Postpartum
Postpartum and the First Year
A comparison between similarly-sized communities and maternal health resources.
Maternal Health-Specific Resource Assessments for Your Community
The Public Science Collaborative team has updated our Recovery Readiness Assessments to include assessments specific to maternal health for communities across Iowa.
These reports can help you:
- Understand your local substance-use recovery landscape.
- Compare your community’s resources to similar-sized cities and towns.
- Identify areas that may need additional support.
Find your community’s assessment at the link below!
The Science of Parenting Podcast
Despite our best intentions as parents, life can throw challenges our way. Facing challenges in parenting or family health? Having strategies is key. It's important to find ways to navigate tough times.
This season looks at research-backed ways to build strong families. It will also give practical tips for tough situations while focusing on your child’s needs.
Episode 1: Raising Resilience
When life is hard, how can our family cope? What do we prioritize when we have to make tough choices? Listen to our season opener to learn what parents can offer our kids to help turn their adversity into resilience!
Episode 2: Good Enough Parenting
When facing competing demands and difficult situations, sometimes we have to settle for “good enough parenting”. What does it mean to lower the bar, and how do we still meet the needs of our kids when we can’t give 100%? Tune in to today’s episode to find out.
Episode 3: Parenting Amid Threats to Safety
Ideally, every family and child would have a safe and consistent home environment. When that’s not the case, parents are often forced to make hard decisions for the wellbeing of their children. Listen to today’s episode where we discuss approaches for protecting kids and a framework that provides hope!
Episode 4: Custody, Kinship Care, Coparenting
When we share the responsibilities of caring for children with other adults, it comes with opportunities and challenges. Listen in for strategies for resolving conflicts and working together to create a nurturing environment for the kids!
Episode 5: Repairing & Rebuilding Relationships with Children
Even with our best efforts, we will still sometimes do something that was hurtful to our child. In this season’s finale, our hosts share personal experiences and discuss research on the components of an apology and discuss a specific strategy for repairing parent-child relationships!
The Science of Parenting podcast has worked hard to create 11 podcast seasons. Each season shares research-based information with parents to help them make informed decisions about their own families. To find more parenting resources or podcast episodes, click the link below!
Further Guidance for Service Providers
The World Health Organization provides guidelines for the identification and management of substance use and substance use disorders in pregnancy.
The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services has released a strategic plan identifying Iowa's strategic priorities to improve the lives of pregnant and birthing mothers, which includes addressing mental health and substance use disorders during pregnancy and postpartum.
The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) provides tools to help local health departments communicate about substance use during pregnancy and address fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), including virtual trainings, communication guides, handouts, and webinars.