Six year follow up of forty five pregnant opiate addicts.

Forty five pregnant addicts had attended the National Drug Treatment Centre between 1984-1986. At that time they received intensive counselling, low dose Methadone maintenance and both ante natal and post natal care. Our aim was to follow these women six years later focusing on their drug use and outcome of their children. The women were followed up by chart review, individual interviews and liaison with the social and probation services. Results indicate that a high proportion of the women abused chaotically (50%). There is a worrying high incidence of HIV positive patients (53.4%) and a mortality figure of 15.5% (7). However only 13 women (28.6%) have had further children and 22 women (49%) are currently using some form of contraception. Only 23 women (51.1%) have had further contact with probation services. Five children (11.3%) are under formal care order and 4 children have become HIV positive in their own right. In conclusion, while these women have benefitted in certain areas e.g. family planning, contact with probation services, in other areas they have remained chaotic e.g. continued drug abuse or HIV risk taking behaviour. Thus the authors believe that future programmes should concentrate more directly on detoxification and rehabilitation after pregnancy. We also believe that because of the chaotic nature of these women some review of an "at risk" register for the children should be carried out.