DRUG-USE DURING PREGNANCY

Prevention and intervention services for pregnant drug-using women hav e often developed prior to gaining empirical data on the antecedents o f prenatal drug use. These data are important to address some of the u nderlying factors of drug use during pregnancy. A review of the litera ture indentified at least six categories of psychosocial risk factors that have been investigated as relevant to drug use among women, inclu ding pregnant women. These factors include: (I) history of childhood s exual abuse, (2) family history of alcohol or drug problems, (3) male partner's alcohol or drug use, (4) current depression, (5) social supp ort, and (6) homelessness or transiency. An examination of these psych osocial risk factors indicates that the existing literature on these f actors in drug use is limited by a lack of methodological rigor, resul ting in large variations in prevalence rates due to factors such as de finition. This paper summarizes the existing literature and methodolog ical iussues regarding the relation between psychosocial risk factors and drug use among women, including pregnant women. It also discusses some of the limitations and issues in assessing prenatal drug use with a particular focus on self-report and urine toxicologies.