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Women and Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders among women are on the rise, including women who are pregnant or of child-bearing age. Per the CDC: "the number of pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) at labor and delivery more than quadrupled from 1999 to 2014. This first-ever multi-state analysis of trends [...] reveals significant increases in the 28 states with available data." The CDC also reports that between 1999 and 2010 there were almost 48,000 women who died as a result of prescription drug overdose. During the same time frame, nearly 1.5 million women were seen in emergency departments for opioid misuse and abuse. Research is finding that while women have historically lagged behind men in substance use disorders, the gap is shrinking. According to materials published by SAMHSA, women tend to have less time between when they first start using a substance and when they start experiencing problems from the substance, a phenomenon known as 'telescoping.'

Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity to help women with substance use disorders enter into recovery. Some women find it easier to reduce or stop using when pregnant. However, without help, many women find the post-partum period difficult and may struggle not to use. The Magdalene Clinic is designed to help women use pregnancy as a time of growth instead of a time of struggle. We partner with the Phoenix Center (as well as Serenity Place) to provide treatment services and help women have as much support as possible.