The authors of this open-source journal article looked at whether the enactment of policies that penalized substance use in pregnancy was associated in changes in the rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) reported in those states. They found that states that criminalized substance use in pregnancy by considering it grounds for civil commitment or evidence of child abuse and neglect had significantly greater rates of NAS in the first full year after enactment and more than 1 full year after enactment. The authors recommended that policy makers seeking to reduce NAS rates might want to consider public health interventions that focus on primary prevention.
Funding Source: National Institute on Drug Abuse
Association of Punitive and Reporting State Policies Related to Substance Use in Pregnancy with Rates of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
An open-source journal article that looks at the link between state policies about substance use in pregnancy and NAS rates