Psychological Condition of Opiate Addicts in Pregnancy and Postpartum

Completed Research Project

Title / Titel: Psychological Condition of Opiate Addicts in Pregnancy and Postpartum

Original title / Originaltitel: Psychische Befindlichkeit drogenabhängiger Frauen während der Schwangerschaft und postpartum

Summary / Zusammenfassung: Intricate psychosocial circumstances of opiate addicted women and furthermore for the methadone treated patient changes in the metabolism towards the end of pregnancy let presume a decreased resistance of these women to physiological and psychological changes occuring during pregnancy and delivery. In addition the experience of prenatal care and/ or delivery could be negatively influenced by a disturbed interrelationship between the addict and the medical staff due to social discrimination of opiate addiction. Aim of this study was to evaluate possible differences between opiate addicted women and non- addicted women concerning emotional and psychological state during pregnancy and the psychological condition post partum in order to improve prenatal care in addicted women. In a case- controlled study the SCL- 90R, the Childbirth Self- Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI), the Prenatal-Self-Evaluation-Questionnaire, and the birth anxiety scala were applied to assess the general psychopathology and the emotional state, i.e. the perceived self-efficacy expectancy, the psychosocial adaptation to pregnancy and the fear of delivery, respectively in addicted and healthy women.

Keywords / Suchbegriffe: Opiate addiction, psychological wellbeing, pregnancy

Project Leadership and Contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte

Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ehlert (Project Leader)	u.ehlert@psychologie.uzh.ch u.ehlert@psychologie.uzh.ch u.ehlert@psycholoigie.uzh.ch
Dr. med. Maki Kashiwagi (Project Leader)	maki.kashiwagi@fhk.usz.ch
Dr. phil. Sandra Sieber	ssieber@klipsy.uzh.ch
Chantal Rechsteiner	ch_rechsteiner@hotmail.com

Funding Source(s) / Unterstützt durch: Forschungskredit der Universität Zürich