From Grassroots to Policy

Peer response: Due: Monday, 11:59 pm PT Number: A Minimum of 2 to Peer Posts, at least one on a different day than the main post Length: A minimum of 150 words per post, not including references Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years if needed according to APA 7th ed. Peer Post: A vulnerable population is often a rhetorical tool that many politicians seem to uses when they are advocating for a position, especially when it comes to health care funding.  One area that I would like to try to tackle would be the at-risk group, which I feel is just as much part of the vulnerable population.  There are several at-risk groups but opioid use disorder in pregnancy age female would be at the top of my list; there are so many risk factors for the woman and the child. Opioid use in pregnancy has risen dramatically in recent years, paralleling with the epidemic observed in the general population. To fight against the opioid epidemic, at the state, local, a national level there is a call for health care providers to take an active role.  Pregnant women are at such a risk for hep C, HIV, and other diseases. Getting involve and connecting with Pregnant women provides an important opportunity to identify and treat women with substance use disorders. Substance use disorders affect women across all racial and ethnic groups and all socioeconomic groups and affect women in rural, urban, and suburban populations.  It is essential that we as nurses advocate that screening be universal. As an advocate for pregnant women, I feel that screening for substance use should be a part of comprehensive obstetric care and should be done at the first prenatal visit in partnership with the pregnant woman.  Multidisciplinary long-term follow-up should include medical, developmental, and social support. Infants born to women who used opioids during pregnancy should be monitored for neonatal abstinence syndrome by a pediatric care provider. Early universal screening, brief intervention (such as engaging a patient in a short conversation, providing feedback and advice), and referral for treatment of pregnant women with opioid use and opioid use disorder improve maternal and infant outcomes. In general, a coordinated multidisciplinary approach without criminal sanctions has the best chance of helping infants and families.                                                                                                                                References Acog.org. 2021. Opioid Use And Opioid Use Disorder In Pregnancy. [online] Available at [Accessed 13 January 2021].   Webster LR. Risk Factors for Opioid-Use Disorder and Overdose. Anesth Analg. 2017 Nov;125(5):1741-1748. DOI: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000002496. PMID: 29049118.