VIDEO – CAREFULLY –
April 3, 2026 – Women that use substances such as drugs, alcohol or tobacco have higher risks for stillbirths, according to The National Institute on Drug Abuse. Other outcomes include a premature birth or a low birth weight.
For mothers using addictive drugs, their newborn could be born with withdrawal symptoms. Gopman said doctors typically watch newborns for five days. “If that medication is necessary, we would maintain it until the symptoms are controlled, wean it down, and then watch babies, usually for about48 hours after the last dose, and then they’d be ready to go home,” Gopman said. “A lot of what we’re doing is education during that time. Most kids don’t need medication to treat withdrawal symptoms. They just need a calm environment. They need to breastfeed.”
She added, “You’ll hear people say, ‘The mother is the medicine’”
There’s a lot of evidence that shows keeping children with their biological family and putting in proper support provides the best outcomes, Gopman said.
Her program, the Circle of Recovery for Families, focuses on long-term support. Because substance use disorder is a chronic condition and relapsing is common, Gopman said there’s no end-point for care.
“We think the ongoing relationship increases the likelihood that they’ll engage in care, and that when they have a rough spot, they’ll let us know,” Gopman said. “We can put additional supports in place.”
