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University of Maine

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Women's Publications - All Publications 12-3-2013 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns (press release, 2013) ACLU of Maine Staff ACLU of Maine Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all  Part of the Women's History Commons Repository Citation Staff, ACLU of Maine, "Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns (press release, 2013)" (2013). Maine Women's Publications - All. 797. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all/797 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Women's Publications - All by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu. 1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 1/6ACLU of MaineBy rachel (/en/biographies/rachel)DECEMBER 2, 2013 - 10:32AMLast week we signed on to an open letter to Gov. LePage(https://www.aclumaine.org/en/open-letter-policies-addressing-pregnant-women-and-opiate-use), urging him to ensure that Maine’s policies regardingpregnant women and newborns are informed by science, and that theydo not inadvertently endanger the health of babies.The letter addresses some medical inaccuracies in an earlier weeklymessage (http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEGOV/bulletins/946815)by the governor about babies and drug dependency. We very muchsupport efforts to ensure maternal, fetal and newborn health inMaine, but we want to make sure those efforts are rooted in science,not bias. To that end, we joined with several Maine physicians, healthcare providers, public health advocates and activists in signing theletter, the full text of which follows:Open Letter Urging That Policies Addressing Pregnant Women and Opiate Use Be Rooted in Science, Not StigmaNovember 25, 2013Dear Governor LePage, We are writing this open letter in response to your email and radioaddress concerning "Drug-Dependent Newborns, a Disturbing Trend"(Nov. 13, 2013). We share your concern about the health and wellbeing of Maine’s children and families. We are writing, however, toPROTECTING PREGNANT WOMEN ANDNEWBORNS1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 2/6ensure that Maine’s policies regarding pregnant women and newbornsis informed by science and that they do not inadvertently increasedanger to the health of babies. As this letter(http://idhdp.com/media/32950/rnewmanopenexpertletter_-_3.11.13.pdf) from leading medical experts makes clear, referring tonewborns prenatally exposed to opiates as “addicted” is medicallyinaccurate and dangerously stigmatizing to newborns. We believethat being mislabeled as “addicted” at birth is no way to start life.More than 40 years of research confirms that when babies showevidence of neonatal withdrawal, these symptoms are readilytreatable, and there is no empirical evidence suggesting any long-term adverse consequences. There is no need for these newbornsto “suffer” if medical staff are properly trained in the provision ofcare to pregnant women and newborns. In fact, leading nationaland international experts, including the federal Substance Abuseand Mental Health Services Administration(http://www.atforum.com/addiction-resources/documents/SAMHSAbrochurePregnantWomen2006.080904-39-5315-04-44.pdf), the World Health Organization(http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/opioid_dependence_guidelines.pdf),and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists(http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Hopioid-dependent pregnant women to continue treatment, likemethadone or buprenorphine, throughout their pregnancy.Pain does not disappear when a woman becomes pregnant, and forwomen who are living with severe and chronic pain, opioidpainkillers have been relied upon as the safest alternative. Denyingpregnant women adequate pain treatment would not onlybe inhumane(http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session22/A.HR1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 3/6but untreated pain during pregnancy would certainly present as amajor stressor for pregnant women and their fetuses. Cost estimates from the cited JAMA study are misleading. Thestudy did not evaluate whether those providing care were properlytrained or whether they were following the well-supportedprotocols of rooming in(http://www.jogc.com/abstracts/full/201009_HealthPolicy_1.pdf) and breastfeeding(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23909865), both of whichdecrease the occurrence and severity of NAS. One study(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19440732) showed that only 11%of babies who boarded with their mothers required treatment ofNAS compared to more than four times as many who were placedin a NICU. In order to be effective, policies addressing pregnant women andopioid use must include consideration of the medical, social, andeconomic factors(http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Hinfluence such use, as well as access to effective treatment for it.Policies that are not rooted in science may result in denyingpregnant women access to appropriate treatment for pain, creatingbarriers to medically approved and federally recommended opioidtreatment, and increasing punitive and counterproductive childwelfare interventions that undermine, rather than protect, childrenand families in Maine. The Snuggle ME Project was developed by Maine healthcareproviders throughout the state specifically to improve outcomes forbabies born to women who use or who are being prescribedopiates as part of medical treatment. It provides evidence-basedguidelines for effective care of both mother and newborn.We would very much like to join your efforts to ensure maternal,fetal, and child health in the state. To that end, we would be happy to1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 4/6provide you with access to national and international experts in thefield of addiction treatment and we request the opportunity to meetwith you to discuss this important issue.Sincerely yours,Kelly Bentley, Assistant Professor, Community Health Education,University of Maine-Farmington* (https://www.aclumaine.org/en/207-364-6827)Ann Kennedy, Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies,University of Maine-Farmington*  (https://www.aclumaine.org/en/207-778-7370)Mark Publicker, M.D.Connie Adler, M.D.Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health CenterFamily Planning Association of MaineGaelyn Aguilar, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University ofMaine-Farmington*Sarah Brasslett, Bangor, MELorrayne Carroll, Associate Professor of English, Women's andGender Studies Faculty,   University of Southern Maine*Chelsea Castonguay, Academic Support Coordinator, University ofMaine-Orono*Wendy Chapkis, Professor of Sociology &Women & GenderStudies, University of Southern Maine*1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 5/6Lucinda Cole, Director of Women's and Gender Studies, University ofSouthern Maine*Jen Jack Giesing, New Media and Data VisualizationSpecialist, Bowdoin College*Nancy Gish, University of Southern Maine*Sandra S. Haggard, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences UMA-BangorAllison Hepler, Professor of History, University of Maine-Farmington*Andrea Irwin, Esq. Polly Kaufmann, Department of History, University of SouthernMaine*Nicole Kellett, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University ofMaine-Farmington*Susan K. Riley, Advocacy Committee, Mabel Wadsworth Women’sHealth CenterAnn SchonbergerLauren Webster, University of Southern Maine*Shana Youngdahl, University of Maine-Farmington*Members of Maine Grandmas for Reproductive Rights (GRR!)            Julia G. Kahrl             Janice Miranda            Beedy Parker1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 6/6            Kitty Wheeler            Jay McCreight            Lucy StinsonACLU of MaineNational Advocates for Pregnant Women*this person signs as an individual and title and work information arefor identification purposes only cc: Commissioner Mary Mayhew of the Department of Health andHuman Services 

Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns (press release, 2013)

The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Maine Women's Publications - All Publications 12-3-2013 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns (press release, 2013) ACLU of Maine Staff ACLU of Maine Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all  Part of the Women's History Commons Repository Citation Staff, ACLU of Maine, "Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns (press release, 2013)" (2013). Maine Women's Publications - All. 808. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/maine_women_pubs_all/808 This Other is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Women's Publications - All by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact um.library.technical.services@maine.edu. 1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 1/6ACLU of MaineBy rachel (/en/biographies/rachel)DECEMBER 2, 2013 - 10:32AMLast week we signed on to an open letter to Gov. LePage(https://www.aclumaine.org/en/open-letter-policies-addressing-pregnant-women-and-opiate-use), urging him to ensure that Maine’s policies regardingpregnant women and newborns are informed by science, and that theydo not inadvertently endanger the health of babies.The letter addresses some medical inaccuracies in an earlier weeklymessage (http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MEGOV/bulletins/946815)by the governor about babies and drug dependency. We very muchsupport efforts to ensure maternal, fetal and newborn health inMaine, but we want to make sure those efforts are rooted in science,not bias. To that end, we joined with several Maine physicians, healthcare providers, public health advocates and activists in signing theletter, the full text of which follows:Open Letter Urging That Policies Addressing Pregnant Women and Opiate Use Be Rooted in Science, Not StigmaNovember 25, 2013Dear Governor LePage, We are writing this open letter in response to your email and radioaddress concerning "Drug-Dependent Newborns, a Disturbing Trend"(Nov. 13, 2013). We share your concern about the health and wellbeing of Maine’s children and families. We are writing, however, toPROTECTING PREGNANT WOMEN ANDNEWBORNS1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 2/6ensure that Maine’s policies regarding pregnant women and newbornsis informed by science and that they do not inadvertently increasedanger to the health of babies. As this letter(http://idhdp.com/media/32950/rnewmanopenexpertletter_-_3.11.13.pdf) from leading medical experts makes clear, referring tonewborns prenatally exposed to opiates as “addicted” is medicallyinaccurate and dangerously stigmatizing to newborns. We believethat being mislabeled as “addicted” at birth is no way to start life.More than 40 years of research confirms that when babies showevidence of neonatal withdrawal, these symptoms are readilytreatable, and there is no empirical evidence suggesting any long-term adverse consequences. There is no need for these newbornsto “suffer” if medical staff are properly trained in the provision ofcare to pregnant women and newborns. In fact, leading nationaland international experts, including the federal Substance Abuseand Mental Health Services Administration(http://www.atforum.com/addiction-resources/documents/SAMHSAbrochurePregnantWomen2006.080904-39-5315-04-44.pdf), the World Health Organization(http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/opioid_dependence_guidelines.pdf),and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists(http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Hopioid-dependent pregnant women to continue treatment, likemethadone or buprenorphine, throughout their pregnancy.Pain does not disappear when a woman becomes pregnant, and forwomen who are living with severe and chronic pain, opioidpainkillers have been relied upon as the safest alternative. Denyingpregnant women adequate pain treatment would not onlybe inhumane(http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session22/A.HR1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 3/6but untreated pain during pregnancy would certainly present as amajor stressor for pregnant women and their fetuses. Cost estimates from the cited JAMA study are misleading. Thestudy did not evaluate whether those providing care were properlytrained or whether they were following the well-supportedprotocols of rooming in(http://www.jogc.com/abstracts/full/201009_HealthPolicy_1.pdf) and breastfeeding(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23909865), both of whichdecrease the occurrence and severity of NAS. One study(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19440732) showed that only 11%of babies who boarded with their mothers required treatment ofNAS compared to more than four times as many who were placedin a NICU. In order to be effective, policies addressing pregnant women andopioid use must include consideration of the medical, social, andeconomic factors(http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Hinfluence such use, as well as access to effective treatment for it.Policies that are not rooted in science may result in denyingpregnant women access to appropriate treatment for pain, creatingbarriers to medically approved and federally recommended opioidtreatment, and increasing punitive and counterproductive childwelfare interventions that undermine, rather than protect, childrenand families in Maine. The Snuggle ME Project was developed by Maine healthcareproviders throughout the state specifically to improve outcomes forbabies born to women who use or who are being prescribedopiates as part of medical treatment. It provides evidence-basedguidelines for effective care of both mother and newborn.We would very much like to join your efforts to ensure maternal,fetal, and child health in the state. To that end, we would be happy to1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 4/6provide you with access to national and international experts in thefield of addiction treatment and we request the opportunity to meetwith you to discuss this important issue.Sincerely yours,Kelly Bentley, Assistant Professor, Community Health Education,University of Maine-Farmington* (https://www.aclumaine.org/en/207-364-6827)Ann Kennedy, Associate Professor of Women's and Gender Studies,University of Maine-Farmington*  (https://www.aclumaine.org/en/207-778-7370)Mark Publicker, M.D.Connie Adler, M.D.Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health CenterFamily Planning Association of MaineGaelyn Aguilar, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University ofMaine-Farmington*Sarah Brasslett, Bangor, MELorrayne Carroll, Associate Professor of English, Women's andGender Studies Faculty,   University of Southern Maine*Chelsea Castonguay, Academic Support Coordinator, University ofMaine-Orono*Wendy Chapkis, Professor of Sociology &Women & GenderStudies, University of Southern Maine*1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 5/6Lucinda Cole, Director of Women's and Gender Studies, University ofSouthern Maine*Jen Jack Giesing, New Media and Data VisualizationSpecialist, Bowdoin College*Nancy Gish, University of Southern Maine*Sandra S. Haggard, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences UMA-BangorAllison Hepler, Professor of History, University of Maine-Farmington*Andrea Irwin, Esq. Polly Kaufmann, Department of History, University of SouthernMaine*Nicole Kellett, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University ofMaine-Farmington*Susan K. Riley, Advocacy Committee, Mabel Wadsworth Women’sHealth CenterAnn SchonbergerLauren Webster, University of Southern Maine*Shana Youngdahl, University of Maine-Farmington*Members of Maine Grandmas for Reproductive Rights (GRR!)            Julia G. Kahrl             Janice Miranda            Beedy Parker1/4/2020 Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns | ACLU of Mainehttps://www.aclumaine.org/en/news/protecting-pregnant-women-and-newborns 6/6            Kitty Wheeler            Jay McCreight            Lucy StinsonACLU of MaineNational Advocates for Pregnant Women*this person signs as an individual and title and work information arefor identification purposes only cc: Commissioner Mary Mayhew of the Department of Health andHuman Services 

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Protecting Pregnant Women and Newborns (press release, 2013)

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