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Finland struggles to provide adequate treatment for pregnant women with substance abuse issues

Saturday 13th 2024 on 10:09 in  
Finland

Pregnant women with substance abuse issues in Finland are not always receiving the treatment they need, with only a third of this high-risk group being reached by health services. Substance addiction should be treated as a disease, with diagnosis codes, treatment recommendations, and treatment guarantees available, says Anne Arponen, Project Manager at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).

According to Finnish legislation, pregnant women should immediately receive adequate health and social services that support sobriety. However, this is not always the case, and there are significant regional disparities in access to treatment, the length of rehabilitation periods, and the range of services offered.

The THL is currently leading a project aimed at standardizing and developing services across different regions. However, developing the service system is challenging, as no concrete data exists on the number of pregnant women in need of treatment. Experts often refer to an estimate that six percent of pregnant women abuse substances. However, this estimate is from 1998 and has not been updated since.

This autumn, Finland’s maternity clinics will begin screening for the use of alcohol, nicotine products, drugs, and medications. They will also be able to screen for substance abuse by the expectant mother’s partner.

At Turku University Hospital, care and recognition of substance-abusing expectant mothers has been successful. Terhi Sydänoja, a specialist doctor at the hospital, says that no substance abuser wants to use substances during pregnancy. Sydänoja runs a support clinic at the hospital that treats pregnant women who need special support, including those struggling with substance abuse.

All university hospitals are currently developing their service packages as part of the THL’s national project. The aim is to better identify substance use during pregnancy and to provide parents with comprehensive, multidisciplinary assistance in giving up substances and embarking on parenthood. Arponen expects that the number of customers at substance abuse clinics may increase this autumn, which she considers a positive thing.