Through GRACE, Baton Rouge’s Woman’s Hospital Delivers Second Chances for Pregnant Patients Battling Addictions
Opioid use among pregnant women has emerged as a critical public health concern in recent years. When expectant mothers use opioids, they expose both themselves and their unborn children to significant health risks. These may include preterm birth, low birth weight and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.
Many pregnant women struggling with opioid addiction face barriers to accessing proper prenatal care and addiction treatment. Stigma, fear of legal repercussions and inadequate health care resources often contribute to this complex issue.
The Guiding Recovery and Creating Empowerment (GRACE) program at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., provides nonjudgmental support and resources to women who need help with substance misuse during pregnancy.
The GRACE program offers specialized care for expectant mothers dealing with substance use issues. A multidisciplinary team comprised of health care providers, counselors, social workers and other professionals work together to support women through their pregnancies and beyond. The program is free to participants and open to any pregnant woman in the Baton Rouge area.
Services offered by the GRACE program include prenatal care, addiction treatment, mental health support, and education on parenting skills and healthy living practices. The goal is to address the unique needs of pregnant women struggling with substance use disorders, aiming to optimize both maternal and fetal health outcomes.
“Because of GRACE, I can live my life not addicted to drugs, enjoy my family and be the best mother that I can be,” says Dessie, a participant.
The GRACE program has enrolled close to 250 patients since 2018. GRACE participants carry infants an average of three weeks longer with babies weighing 1.3 lbs. more than those not in the program. Additionally, the average hospital length of stay is two days less for GRACE participants, and 80% of GRACE participants are involved in substance use treatment programs.
Hear from another patient who credits the GRACE program with saving her life and that of her baby.