New clinical resources are now available to better support pregnant women in BC while reducing harms related to substance use.
Expanded support for midwives
The British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) has developed a new clinical guideline supplement to care for pregnant women who use alcohol and has expanded the 24/7 Addiction Medicine Clinician Support Line for midwives in BC.
Supporting clinicians with specific tools and knowledge to approach substance-use care for clients during pregnancy will improve overall health outcomes and a better likelihood of longer-term engagement in care.
Tools will support women during and after pregnancy
Stigma creates barriers to care
“This vulnerable time for new parents and their babies is made even more difficult by the stigma that still surrounds substance use,” says Sheila Malcolmson, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. “This expansion of support will help foster a healthier environment at a time when new parents and their babies need it most.”
Stigma associated with substance use and pregnancy have created barriers for pregnant women. A lack of knowledge around appropriate screening and treatment options create additional barriers to evidence-informed care.
Both the guideline supplement and the expansion of the support line will help reduce those barriers, providing supports for clinicians to address substance use safely and effectively with their patients during pregnancy and post-partum periods.
New guideline supports existing BC guidelines on alcohol-use disorder
The new clinical guideline is a supplement to the Provincial Guideline for the Clinical Management of High-Risk Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder. It was developed by BCCSU in collaboration with Perinatal Services BC (PSBC) to provide population-specific treatment recommendations and care principles for pregnant and post-partum individuals who may continue to engage in high-risk drinking and those with alcohol-use disorder. The guideline supplement includes current research and outlines steps for routine and repeat screening for alcohol-use and alcohol-use disorder, brief counselling interventions, and clinical management options for alcohol-use disorder in pregnancy. Approaches that support immediate post-partum care and breastfeeding are also included.
The expansion of BCCSU’s 24/7 Addiction Medicine Clinician Support Line was completed in partnership with the Midwives Association of British Columbia (MABC). Midwives play a unique role in establishing a trusting relationship with a patient that otherwise may have little to no contact with medical professionals. They also offer a critical opportunity to connect the patient with the health-care system and to offer evidence-based treatment and care for patients using substances. With the expansion of the support line, midwives will now be able to access the expertise and knowledge of an Addiction Medicine Specialist any day and time of the week.
The Provincial Guideline for the Clinical Management of High-Risk Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder was released in December 2019 to provide evidence-informed recommendations to health care providers on how to treat and support people struggling with alcohol use, ensuring that people receive the care they need and deserve. In January 2021, Health Canada announced new funding for the BCCSU to adapt this work and develop the first National Guideline for the Clinical Management of High-Risk Drinking and alcohol Use Disorder.
Pregnancy Supplement – Provincial Guideline for the Clinical Management of High-Risk Drinking and Alcohol Use Disorder: www.bccsu.ca/alcohol-use-disorder
