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Regional Perinatal Addiction Project
Northern New Jersey Maternal Child Health Consortium
The Northern New Jersey Maternal/Child Health Consortium,
of which Saint Barnabas Medical Center is a key member, is
pleased to announce a new program funded by the New Jersey
Department of Health & Senior Services that will assist
pregnant women who are drinking alcohol and using drugs.
The Regional Perinatal Addiction Prevention Project (PAPP)
provides training and technical assistance to medical staff
on how to effectively screen pregnant women for substance
use by using a screening tool, the "4 P's Plus."
The 4 P’s Plus screening tool helps the medical team
identify women who may be at risk and need additional evaluations
by certified alcohol and drug counselors. Through the use
of this screening tool, patients who are willing to accept
treatment can receive an appropriate referral.
Alcohol is the most widely used drug in the United States.
It is estimated that 120 million Americans drink an alcoholic
beverage.
- 54 million report binge drinking, or drinking 5 or more
drinks at one sitting.
- 15.9 million report heavy drinking,
as defined as drinking 5 or more drinks on the same occasion
on each of 5 days or more in the past 30 days.
- 14.9 million
are dependant on alcohol only.
An estimated 19.5 million citizens
aged 12 and over currently use illicit drugs. Approximately
22.0 million Americans are classified with substance dependence
or abuse and 3.2 million citizens are dependant on both alcohol
and illegal drugs.
- Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug with
6.2 million users.
- 2 million use cocaine
- 1.9 million use Oxycotin, non-medically
- 1.2 million use hallucinogens
- 166,000 use heroin
The National Survey on Substance Abuse estimates
3 percent of pregnant women ages 15 to 44 use illicit drugs,
3 percent report drinking during pregnancy and 17 percent
report smoking cigarettes.
 In another study, 5 percent to 11 percent of pregnant women
use alcohol and other substances during pregnancy in both
the public and private setting. (Chasnoff, 1997).
Many people think that beer and wine are safer than gin,
rum, vodka, etc. It is widely thought that one glass of wine
or beer will not be a problem during pregnancy.
However, no safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy has
been determined. The detrimental effects of alcohol use during
pregnancy are well established. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, a
leading cause of preventable mental retardation, can occur
with either ongoing use or with binge drinking.
It is important to understand that women who drink and use
both non-prescribed and illegal drugs during pregnancy typically
began using before becoming pregnant. Once they realize they
are pregnant, most women immediately stop using. However,
others cannot because they are dependent.
It is not unusual for people with a drinking or drug problem
to deny they have a problem. Often, family members and friends
will worry long before the patient recognizes a problem exists.
Alcohol and drug dependence is a serious medical condition
that requires intervention by trained and licensed treatment
specialist.
The Perinatal Addiction Prevention Project is working with
the alcohol and drug treatment community of providers to advocate
for specialized services for women and their children. There
are programs in New Jersey designed to provide services that
address the needs of both women with an addiction disorder
and their children. In addition a list of private, licensed
substance abuse clinicians are available, upon request.
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