ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND Drug use can be categorized into different patterns (Table 23.1). However, there is no safe pattern of illicit substance use.
INCIDENCE Patient interviews and urine toxicologic testing at the initial prenatal visit and at delivery suggest that substance use
during pregnancy ranges from 0.4% to 27%, depending on the population surveyed (1). According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, there were 21.8 million Americans (8.7%) aged 12 and older who admitted to drug use in the past month and 3.9 million were diagnosed with substance dependence or abuse (2).
