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- Title
Pregnant Teenagers Lay Off Drugs.
- Authors
Hollander, Dore
- Abstract
This article focuses on how during pregnancy, some teenagers cut down on their drinking, smoking and use of recreational drugs. Although levels of use rebound during the postpartum period, a small fraction of young mothers do not resume regular substance use. Among a group of 229 urban teenagers using public health services in Washington State, 55 percent drank alcohol regularly before conceiving, but only 4 percent did so while pregnant. By six months postpartum, the proportion had climbed back to about 30 percent, but by 18 months, it was still below 40 percent. Similar patterns were evident for cigarette smoking, use of marijuana and crack cocaine, and multiple substance use. In all, 39 percent of women discontinued regular substance use during pregnancy but began again after giving birth; 17 percent initiated regular use after having a baby; and 15 percent were regular users before, during and after pregnancy. Some 21 percent never used substances regularly, and 8 percent quit while pregnant and did not begin again.
- Subjects
TEENAGE pregnancy; PUERPERIUM; PUBLIC health; SMOKING; ALCOHOL drinking; MARIJUANA
- Publication
Family Planning Perspectives, 1997, Vol 29, Issue 2, p50
- ISSN
0014-7354
- Publication type
Article