Drugs and having babies : An exploration of how a specialist clinic meets the needs of chemically dependent pregnant women

Journal article


Morris, Michelle, Seibold, Carmel and Webber, Ruth. (2012). Drugs and having babies : An exploration of how a specialist clinic meets the needs of chemically dependent pregnant women. Midwifery. 28(2), pp. 163 - 172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2011.03.002
AuthorsMorris, Michelle, Seibold, Carmel and Webber, Ruth
Abstract

Objectives: To explore the extent to which a specialist clinic meets the needs of chemically dependent women.

Design: A critical ethnography informed by theorists such as Habermas and feminists' interpretation of Foucault.

Setting: A specialist antenatal clinic for chemically dependent pregnant women at a major metropolitan women's hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

Participants: A purposive sample of twenty (20) chemically dependent pregnant women who attended the clinic.

Data collection and analysis included three taped interviews (two preceding the birth and one post birth), observation of the interactions between the women and the clinic staff over a 25-month period and chart audits.

Findings: Similar to other studies there were multiple factors influencing development and maintenance of chemical dependency in this group of women, including family instability, family history of drug and alcohol abuse, childhood sexual abuse, having a chemically dependent partner and having a dual diagnosis of both drug addiction and mental illness. Initially there was considerable variation between the women and the clinic staff's expectations with regard to attending for antenatal care and conforming to a set regime as the women struggled with the contradictions inherent in their lifestyle and that of the ‘normal’ expectant mother. Aspects of that struggle included their belief that their opinions and knowledge of their lives was largely ignored, leading to episodes of resistance. Several women alleged the clinics staff's relationship with them was influenced by a belief that the women were ‘hopeless addicts in need of expert medical and midwifery care' and that the clinic staff exercised control in an authoritarian manner. However, as they explored possibilities for collaboration, they realised they could exercise power and work towards a more equal relationship with staff. The quality of relationships in most instances improved over time, and if not always strictly collaborative, was situated at various points along a continuum from minimal to full co-operation, with concomitant varying levels of success in terms of outcomes. It was often the attitude of individual staff members, particularly midwives, that was the key to the way in which the women responded to care.

Key conclusions and implications for practice: Comprehensive history-taking and engaging women as early as possible in pregnancy; providing continuity of care – particularly midwife care – to assist in developing a collaborative approach to care; provision of an extended period of postnatal support to at least six months for those women able to parent their children was a key recommendation.

Keywordschemical dependency; specialist antenatal clinics; Foucault; communication
Year2012
JournalMidwifery
Journal citation28 (2), pp. 163 - 172
PublisherChurchill Livingstone
ISSN0266-6138
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2011.03.002
Scopus EID2-s2.0-84858153648
Page range163 - 172
Research GroupSchool of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited Kingdom
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/89518/drugs-and-having-babies-an-exploration-of-how-a-specialist-clinic-meets-the-needs-of-chemically-dependent-pregnant-women

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 112
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Confidence of group home staff in supporting the health needs of older residents with intellectual disability
Webber, Ruth, Bowers, Barbara Joanne and Bigby, Christine. (2016). Confidence of group home staff in supporting the health needs of older residents with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. 41(2), pp. 107 - 114. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2015.1130218
Catholic Prison Ministry: "The light at the end of the tunnel"
Webber, Ruth. (2016). Catholic Prison Ministry: "The light at the end of the tunnel". In In R. van Eijk, G. Loman and T. W. A. de Wit (Ed.). For Justice and Mercy: International Reflections on Prison Chaplaincy pp. 41 - 62 Wolf Legal Publishers.
Sibling roles in the lives of older group home residents with intellectual disability : Working with staff to safeguard wellbeing
Bigby, Christine, Webber, Ruth and Bowers, Barbara. (2015). Sibling roles in the lives of older group home residents with intellectual disability : Working with staff to safeguard wellbeing. Australian Social Work. 68(4), pp. 453 - 468. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2014.950678
Engaging in cyberspace : Seeking help for sexual assault
Webber, Ruth and Moors, Rosetta-Jane. (2015). Engaging in cyberspace : Seeking help for sexual assault. Child and Family Social Work. 20(1), pp. 40 - 49. https://doi.org/10.1111/cfs.12052
Sexual assault in relationships : Seeking help on a Q&A website
Webber, Ruth. (2014). Sexual assault in relationships : Seeking help on a Q&A website. Australian Social Work. 67(3), pp. 363 - 377. https://doi.org/10.1080/0312407X.2013.834065
Health issues of older people with intellectual disability in group homes
Bowers, Barbara, Webber, Ruth and Bigby, Christine. (2014). Health issues of older people with intellectual disability in group homes. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. 39(3), pp. 261-269. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2014.936083
Residential aged care for people with intellectual disability : A matter of perspective
Webber, Ruth, Bowers, Barbara Joanne and Bigby, Christine. (2014). Residential aged care for people with intellectual disability : A matter of perspective. Australasian Journal on Ageing. 33(4), pp. E36 - E40. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajag.12086
Spiritual wellbeing and its relationship to resilience in young people : A mixed methods case study
Smith, Lindsay, Webber, Ruth and DeFrain, John. (2013). Spiritual wellbeing and its relationship to resilience in young people : A mixed methods case study. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013485582
Rebuilding communities after natural disasters: The 2009 bushfires in Southeastern Australia
Webber, Ruth and Jones, Kate. (2013). Rebuilding communities after natural disasters: The 2009 bushfires in Southeastern Australia. Journal of Social Service Research. 39(2), pp. 253 - 268. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2012.754196
Young people seeking help for sexual assault : a question-and-answer online environment
Webber, Ruth and Wilmot, Julie. (2013). Young people seeking help for sexual assault : a question-and-answer online environment. Youth Studies Australia.
'Chasing the numbers': Australian Bachelor of Midwifery students' experiences of achieving midwifery practice requirements for registration
Licqurish, Sharon and Seibold, Carmel. (2013). 'Chasing the numbers': Australian Bachelor of Midwifery students' experiences of achieving midwifery practice requirements for registration. Midwifery. 29(6), pp. 661 - 667. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2012.06.006
Midwifery students' experiences of achieving competency for beginning practice
Licqurish, Sharon, Seibold, Carmel and McInerney, Frances. (2013). Midwifery students' experiences of achieving competency for beginning practice. British Journal of Midwifery.
The dance of disclosure : online self-disclosure of sexual assault
Moors, Rosetta-Jane and Webber, Ruth. (2013). The dance of disclosure : online self-disclosure of sexual assault. Qualitative Social Work. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325012464383
Young people seeking help for sexual assault: A question-and-answer online environment
Webber, Ruth and Wilmot, Julie. (2013). Young people seeking help for sexual assault: A question-and-answer online environment. Youth Studies Australia. 32(2), pp. 30 - 38.
Spiritual well-being and its relationship to resilience in young people: A mixed methods case study
Smith, Lindsay, Webber, Ruth and DeFrain, John. (2013). Spiritual well-being and its relationship to resilience in young people: A mixed methods case study. SAGE Open. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013485582
Implementing 'community development' in a post-disaster situation
Webber, Ruth and Jones, Kate. (2013). Implementing 'community development' in a post-disaster situation. Community Development Journal. 48(2), pp. 248 - 263. https://doi.org/10.1093/cdj/bss052
Rebuilding communities after natural disasters: The 2009 bushfires in southeastern Australia
Webber, Ruth and Jones, Kate. (2013). Rebuilding communities after natural disasters: The 2009 bushfires in southeastern Australia. Journal of Social Service Research. 39(2), pp. 253 - 268. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2012.754196
Emergency healthcare experiences of women living with intimate partner violence
Reisenhofer, Sonia and Seibold, Carmel. (2013). Emergency healthcare experiences of women living with intimate partner violence. Journal of Clinical Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2012.04311.x
Exploring volunteering of committed young Catholics
Webber, Ruth. (2012). Exploring volunteering of committed young Catholics. Journal of Beliefs and Values. 33(1), pp. 71 - 82. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2012.650032
Important aspects of Catholic identity for committed Generations X and Y Catholics
McKinley, Diana and Webber, Ruth. (2012). Important aspects of Catholic identity for committed Generations X and Y Catholics. Australasian Catholic Record. 89(3), pp. 322 - 332.
Volunteering among Australian adolescents : Findings from a national study
Webber, Ruth. (2011). Volunteering among Australian adolescents : Findings from a national study. Youth Studies Australia. 30(1), pp. 9 - 16.
After the bushfires: Surviving and volunteering
Webber, Ruth and Jones, Kate. (2011). After the bushfires: Surviving and volunteering. The Australian Journal of Emergency Management. 26(2), pp. 33 - 38.
Re-positioning as a response to government higher education policy development :an Australian case study
Webber, Ruth and Jones, K.. (2011). Re-positioning as a response to government higher education policy development :an Australian case study. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management (print version). 33(1), pp. 17 - 26. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2011.536977
A Catholic community response to the 2009 bushfires
Webber, Ruth and Jones, Kate. (2011). A Catholic community response to the 2009 bushfires. Australasian Catholic Record. 88(3), pp. 259 - 270.
Factors influencing young women's sexual and reproductive health
Seibold, Carmel. (2011). Factors influencing young women's sexual and reproductive health. Contemporary Nurse: health care across the lifespan (print version). 37(2), pp. 124 - 136. https://doi.org/10.5172/conu.2011.37.2.124
Applying a contemporary grounded theory methodology
Licqurish, Sharon Maree and Seibold, Carmel. (2011). Applying a contemporary grounded theory methodology. Nurse Researcher. 18(4), pp. 11 - 17.
Models of youth ministry in action: The dynamics of Christian youth ministry in an Australian city
Webber, Ruth, Singleton, Andrew, Joyce, Marie and Dorissa, Arrigo. (2010). Models of youth ministry in action: The dynamics of Christian youth ministry in an Australian city. Religious Education: a platform for the free discussion of issues in the field of religion and their bearing on education. 105(2), pp. 204 - 215. https://doi.org/10.1080/00344081003645202
Hospital experiences of older people with intellectual disability: Responses of group home staff and family members
Webber, Ruth, Bowers, Barbara and Bigby, Christine. (2010). Hospital experiences of older people with intellectual disability: Responses of group home staff and family members. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability. 35(3), pp. 155 - 164. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2010.491071
Third stream activities at Australian Catholic University
Webber, Ruth and Jones, Kate. (2010). Third stream activities at Australian Catholic University. In In N. Riseman, S. Rechter and E. Warne (Ed.). Learning, teaching and social justice in higher education pp. 137 - 151 University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre....
The practice of youth ministry in a changing context: Results from an Australian scoping study
Singleton, Andrew, Webber, Ruth, Joyce, Marie and Dorissa, Arrigo. (2010). The practice of youth ministry in a changing context: Results from an Australian scoping study. The Journal of Youth Ministry: the academic journal of youth ministry educators. 9(1), pp. 35 - 54.
Developments in spirituality among youth in Australia and other western societies
Mason, Michael, Singleton, Andrew and Webber, Ruth. (2010). Developments in spirituality among youth in Australia and other western societies. In In E. Pace, L. Berzano and G. Giordan (Ed.). pp. 89 - 114 Koninklijke Brill NV.
Staff responses to age related health changes in people with an intellectual disability in group homes
Webber, Ruth, Bowers, Barbara and McKenzie-Green, Barbara. (2010). Staff responses to age related health changes in people with an intellectual disability in group homes. Disability and Society. 25(6), pp. 657 - 671. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2010.505736
'Lending the space': Midwives' perceptions of birth space and clinical risk management
Seibold, Carmel, Licqurish, Sharon, Rolls, Colleen and Hopkins, Finbar. (2010). 'Lending the space': Midwives' perceptions of birth space and clinical risk management. Midwifery. 26(5), pp. 526 - 531. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.06.011
Intellectual disability and ageing
Webber, Ruth, Bowers, Barbara Joanne and Bigby, Christine. (2009). Intellectual disability and ageing. In In R. Cahart (Ed.). Older people: issues and innovations in care pp. 60 - 77 Elsevier.
Starting Life Anew: Resettlement Challenges of Salvadorian Refugees in Melbourne
Santos, Beatriz and Webber, Ruth. (2009). Starting Life Anew: Resettlement Challenges of Salvadorian Refugees in Melbourne. Just Policy: a journal of Australian social policy.
Qualitative Research and Professional Practice: Evaluation of the Hy Vong Moi (New Hope) program
Seibold, Carmel. (2008). Qualitative Research and Professional Practice: Evaluation of the Hy Vong Moi (New Hope) program. Qualitative Research Journal. 8(2), pp. 59 - 71. https://doi.org/10.3316/QRJ0802059
Bachelor of midwifery students' experiences of achieving competencies: The role of the midwife preceptor
Licqurish, Sharon and Seibold, Carmel. (2008). Bachelor of midwifery students' experiences of achieving competencies: The role of the midwife preceptor. Midwifery. 24(4), pp. 480 - 489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2007.05.001
Walk a mile in my shoes: An auto-ethnographic study
White, Susan and Seibold, Carmel. (2008). Walk a mile in my shoes: An auto-ethnographic study. Contemporary Nurse. 30(1), pp. 57 - 68. https://doi.org/10.5172/conu.673.30.1.57
The changing reality of research education in Australia and the implications for supervision: A review of the literature
Engebretson, Kath, Smith, Ken, McLaughlin, Denis, Seibold, Carmel, Terrett, Gill and Ryan, Elizabeth. (2008). The changing reality of research education in Australia and the implications for supervision: A review of the literature. Teaching in Higher Education. 13(1), pp. 1 - 16. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510701792112
A survey of people with intellectual disabilities living in residential aged care facilities in Victoria
Bigby, Christine, Webber, Ruth, Bowers, Barbara and McKenzie-Green, Barbara. (2008). A survey of people with intellectual disabilities living in residential aged care facilities in Victoria. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research. 52(5), pp. 404 - 414. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.2007.01040.x
The spirituality of young Australians
Mason, Michael, Singleton, Andrew and Webber, Ruth. (2007). The spirituality of young Australians. International Journal of Children's Spirituality. 12(2), pp. 149 - 163. https://doi.org/10.1080/13644360701467451
Accounts of survival of Salvadoran refugees
Santos, Beatrice and Webber, Ruth. (2007). Accounts of survival of Salvadoran refugees. New Community. 5(3), pp. 50 - 54.
The spirit of generation Y: Young people's spirituality in a changing Australia
Mason, Michael, Singleton, Andrew and Webber, Ruth. (2007). The spirit of generation Y: Young people's spirituality in a changing Australia John Garrat Publishing.
Emergency department care of women experiencing intimate partner violence: Are we doing all we can?
Reisenhofer, Sonia and Seibold, Carmel. (2007). Emergency department care of women experiencing intimate partner violence: Are we doing all we can? Contemporary Nurse. 24(1), pp. 3 - 14. https://doi.org/10.5172/conu.2007.24.1.3
The supervisor-student relationship in developing methodology
Seibold, Carmel, White, Susan and Reisenhofer, Sonia. (2007). The supervisor-student relationship in developing methodology. Nurse Researcher. 14(4), pp. 39 - 52. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr2007.07.14.4.39.c6042
Nurses on the move: Evaluation of a program to assist international students undertaking an accelerated bachelor of nursing program
Seibold, Carmel, Rolls, Colleen and Campbell, Michelle. (2007). Nurses on the move: Evaluation of a program to assist international students undertaking an accelerated bachelor of nursing program. Contemporary Nurse. 25(February), pp. 63 - 71. https://doi.org/10.5172/conu.2007.25.1-2.63
Poverty: The impact of government policy on vulnerable families and older people
Webber, Ruth. (2006). Poverty: The impact of government policy on vulnerable families and older people. In In K. Serr (Ed.). Thinking about poverty pp. 79 - 91 Federation Press, the.
Discourse Analysis: Integrating theoretical and methodological approaches
Seibold, Carmel. (2006). Discourse Analysis: Integrating theoretical and methodological approaches. Nurse Researcher. 14(1), pp. 18 - 33. https://doi.org/10.7748/nr2006.10.14.1.18.c6007
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The family and social context
Neophytou, Koula and Webber, Ruth. (2005). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The family and social context. Australian Social Work. 58(3), pp. 313 - 325.
The challenge of implementing an undergraduate midwifery course within a three university consortium
Rolls, Colleen and Seibold, Carmel. (2005). The challenge of implementing an undergraduate midwifery course within a three university consortium. Contemporary Nurse. 18(3), pp. 273 - 278. https://doi.org/10.5172/conu.18.3.273
The experiences of a first cohort of bachelor of midwifery students; Victoria; Australia
Seibold, Carmel. (2005). The experiences of a first cohort of bachelor of midwifery students; Victoria; Australia. Australian Midwifery. 18(3), pp. 9 - 16. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1448-8272(05)80024-0
The experience of the first cohort of Bachelor of Midwifery students, ACU National, Victoria, Australia
Seibold, Carmel Annette and Rolls, Colleen Edith. (2005). The experience of the first cohort of Bachelor of Midwifery students, ACU National, Victoria, Australia. The New Zealand College of Midwives 8th Biennial National Conference.
Trust us: Indigenous children and the state
Webber, Ruth and Lacey, Sharon. (2005). Trust us: Indigenous children and the state. In In J. Bessant, R. hil and R. Watts (Ed.). Violations of Trust: How social welfare institutions fail children and young people pp. 51 - 70 Ashgate Publishing Limited.
Price and prejudice: The politics of best practice and human service workers' knowledge
Campbell, Lea and Webber, Ruth. (2005). Price and prejudice: The politics of best practice and human service workers' knowledge. New Community. 3(1), pp. 4 - 10.
Integrating work-based and academic learning in international and cross-cultural settings
Webber, Ruth. (2005). Integrating work-based and academic learning in international and cross-cultural settings. Journal of Education and Work. 18(4), pp. 473 - 487. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080500327899
The sole parent family: Family and support networks
Webber, Ruth and Boromeo, Deborah. (2005). The sole parent family: Family and support networks. Australian Journal of Social Issues. 40(2), pp. 269 - 283. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1839-4655.2005.tb00971.x
Young single women's experiences of pregnancy; adjustment; decision-making and ongoing identity construction
Seibold, Carmel. (2004). Young single women's experiences of pregnancy; adjustment; decision-making and ongoing identity construction. Midwifery. 20(2), pp. 171 - 180. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0266-6138(03)00057-3
Spirituality in adolescence and young adulthood: A method for a qualitative study
Mason, Michael, Singleton, Andrew and Webber, Ruth. (2004). Spirituality in adolescence and young adulthood: A method for a qualitative study. International Journal of Children's Spirituality. 9(3), pp. 247 - 262.
Making stepfamilies work: Step-relationships in Singaporean stepfamilies
Webber, Ruth. (2003). Making stepfamilies work: Step-relationships in Singaporean stepfamilies. Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work and Development. 13(2), pp. 90 - 112. https://doi.org/10.1080/21650993.2003.9755930
Violent acts: Why do they do it?
Webber, Ruth, Bessant, Judith and Watts, Rob. (2003). Violent acts: Why do they do it? Australian Social Work. 56(3), pp. 247 - 257.
Youth workers; professional identities and narratives of workplace change: A preliminary report
Bessant, Judith and Webber, Ruth. (2003). Youth workers; professional identities and narratives of workplace change: A preliminary report. Journal of Australian Studies. 78, pp. 25 - 38.
The impact of illicit drug use on non-using siblings in the Vietnamese community
Webber, Ruth. (2003). The impact of illicit drug use on non-using siblings in the Vietnamese community. Australian Journal of Social Issues. 38(2), pp. 229 - 246. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1839-4655.2003.tb01144.x
Ethical issues arising when planning and commencing a research study with chemically dependent pregnant women
Seibold, Carmel and Tuttle, Lynette. (2003). Ethical issues arising when planning and commencing a research study with chemically dependent pregnant women. Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing. 20(4), pp. 30 - 36.
The place of theory and the development of a theoretical framework in a qualitative study
Seibold, Carmel. (2002). The place of theory and the development of a theoretical framework in a qualitative study. Qualitative Research Journal. 2(3), pp. 3 - 16.
The impact of economic liberalism on Australian academics' research activities
Webber, Ruth. (2002). The impact of economic liberalism on Australian academics' research activities. Just Policy: a journal of Australian social policy. 27, pp. 29 - 37.
Vietnamese - Australian young people and illicit drug use in Melbourne
Webber, Ruth. (2002). Vietnamese - Australian young people and illicit drug use in Melbourne. Youth Studies Australia. 21(3), pp. 11 - 18.