Treatment needs of pregnant women who are alcohol dependent

It's time to have the conversation: understanding the treatment needs of women who are pregnant and alcohol dependent is a report by Lucy Burns and Courtney Breen from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre.  It presents a narrative literature review of treatments available to pregnant women who have alcohol use disorders and findings from interviews with key stakeholders regarding current treatment practices and areas requiring improvement.

The authors found very little evidence-based literature on this topic, but from their research they compiled gold standards for the treatment of alcohol dependence in pregnancy. These standards include the screening of all pregnant women on their alcohol use by health professionals.  Pregnant women who screen positively for alcohol-use disorders should be offered access to treatment and extended hospitalisation post-delivery and birth with help and support from a multidisciplinary team.