Tag Archives: pregnancy

Essential Reads: SBIRT for Women with Alcohol and Drug Use During Pregnancy

Critical to the wellbeing of pregnant women and their infants is universal screening for drug and alcohol use. This is an essential first step in identifying women with harmful substance use and connecting them with appropriate services.  Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment or SBIRT has been shown to be a quick and effective… Read More »

Is Matcha Tea Safe During Pregnancy?

For the sake of their future born’s safety, pregnant women try to give up on anything potentially harmful – cigarettes, alcohol, caffeine, fatty foods, too much sugar, the list goes on. To compensate for the lack of guilty pleasures, mothers-to-be usually turn to more acceptable options, one of the most popular these days being Matcha… Read More »

Essential Reads: Lithium and Pregnancy

While the use of lithium has been in decline over the last 20 years, lithium continues to be a useful and highly effective mood stabilizer for women with bipolar disorder, especially those with a history of mania.  We have long been aware of its teratogenic effects, with some studies documenting an increased risk of cardiovascular… Read More »

Pregnancy stress during the pandemic? 3 things expectant mums need to know

Pregnancy stress during the pandemic? Midwife Marie Louise offers her advice on how to stay calm in the lead up to labour, despite the current crisis Expectant mums have enough to feel anxious about, without Covid-19 getting them down too. Navigating and adapting to a rapidly changing situation while trying to maintain a relaxed and… Read More »

Use of Prescription Opioids During Pregnancy Is Relatively Common

According to the most recent Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey conducted in 2019, 6.6% of the respondents reported prescription opioid use during pregnancy.  Use of prescription opioids was more common in certain groups. Prescription opioid use was the highest (10%) in women 19 years and under.  Among women who smoked cigarettes during pregnancy,… Read More »