Atrium Cabarrus, in collaboration with the SUN Alliance, are developing a prenatal education class specifically for mothers with substance use. The agenda for the class is identical to one offered to the general public and will cover areas such as what to expect during delivery , post partum maternal care and infant care but will also highlight potential behavioral effects of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and interventions to assist the infant in coping with signs of withdrawal.
The class will provide a safe space for women with substance use to ask questions that they may not feel comfortable discussing in a larger class composed of others who have not experience substance use. Questions regarding medication assisted therapy, how their pain will be controlled during labor and after delivery, what effects they may see in their newborns from medication assisted therapy and DSS involvement are among topics that will be covered.