Some of my patients use drugs. Pregnancy/substance abuse and the physician.

Services to 4,539 newborns prenatally exposed to drugs were provided by the State of Florida in 1990; an estimated 5,911 did not receive services. The number of substance-abusing women identified during pregnancy has risen each of the last three years. As more are identified, receive prenatal care, and are referred for treatment, the low birth weight of these newborns has decreased from 55% in 1988/1989 to 26% in 1990. Women who abuse drugs during pregnancy are considered high risk and have priority in receiving prenatal care and drug treatment.