Perinatal Substance Use
The aim of this program is to provide education and support for evidence-based, patient-centred, trauma-informed, and culturally-safe care for a pregnant person who experiences substance use and for a newborn exposed to substances during pregnancy.
The course is divided into 4 modules, Take-Home Resources, Discussion Board, and Ask An Expert Portal. The 4 modules are divided into the following topics:
- Principles of Care
- Care During Pregnancy and Labour
- Care of the Newborn Exposed to Substances During Pregnancy
- Discharge Planning and Transition to Community
Module 1: PRINCIPLES OF CARE
By the end of the module, you will be able to:
- Adopt a principles-based approach to care in the context of perinatal substance use.
- Describe and deconstruct the stigma that surrounds perinatal substance use.
- Describe and integrate trauma-informed care into practice.
- Identify and apply harm reduction strategies.
- Describe the importance of Mother-Baby Togetherness.
Module 2: CARE DURING PREGNANCY AND LABOUR
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Describe the clinical concerns of substance use disorder during pregnancy.
- Apply screening techniques and brief interventions for substance use during pregnancy.
- Compare treatment and clinical management options for substance use disorder during pregnancy.
- Explore opportunities for cultural humility, Indigenous connections, and Indigenous ways of healing.
- Implement the appropriate substance use treatment pathways.
- Identify and apply the necessary referrals to specialist services and for education and support.
Module 3: CARE OF THE NEWBORN EXPOSED TO SUBSTANCES DURING PREGNANCY
By the end of the module, you will be able to:
- Describe the various definitions and terminology used to describe the newborn experiencing withdrawal from substance use.
- Describe the incidence of substance exposure in the newborn population in BC.
- Apply the Guiding Principles outlined in this module when caring for the newborn exposed to substances.
- Understand the pathophysiology of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.
- Assess the effects of withdrawal symptoms on normal newborn growth and behaviour using the Eat Sleep Console (ESC) Care approach.
- Decrease severity of withdrawal symptoms by utilizing non-pharmacological and pharmacological management strategies.
Module 4: DISCHARGE PLANNING AND TRANSITION TO COMMUNITY
By the end of the module, you will be able to:
- Apply the core guiding principles and values for caring for a parent and infant dyad impacted by substance use throughout the transition and discharge process.
- Recognize the critical components of an individualized patient-led transition plan that involves the interdisciplinary team, provides for wrap around support, and handover to local community support services, and maximizes safety for both parent and infant.
- Create a discharge check list and teaching plan for parent and babies in your community that meets their individual needs and supports a successful transition home.
Designed in partnership by UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Division of Continuing Professional Development (UBC CPD), Perinatal Services BC (PSBC) and BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre (BCW).
The Division of Continuing Professional Development, University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine (UBC CPD) is fully accredited by the Continuing Medical Education Accreditation Committee (CACME) to provide CPD credits for physicians. This activity is an Accredited Self-Assessment Program (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program (MOC) of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, and approved by UBC CPD. You may claim a maximum of 6.00 hours (credits are automatically calculated). This one-credit-per-hour Assessment program meets the certification criteria of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and has been certified by UBC CPD for up to 6.00 Mainpro+® credits. Each physician should claim only those credits accrued through participation in the activity.