Methods:
The European Addiction Severity Index was used to map substance use history among a Norwegian national cohort (2005–2006) of pregnant OMT women (n = 37) and their partners (n = 23), as well as substance use during the last month of pregnancy and 1 year later.
Results:
Lifetime substance use indicated an average of 8 years of heroin abuse before entering OMT. During the last month of pregnancy one woman and two partners reported using illegal substances, while 1 year later, one women and one partner reported having used illegal substances. The use of legal substances among the partners was significantly reduced from pregnancy to 1 year later (38–20%, p < 0.01), while the use of legal substances among the women increased from 8% to 19%.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that a majority of OMT mothers in Norway and their partners are able to abstain from most illegal substances 1 year after pregnancy, but the tendency of problem drinking among the women is a concern.