Trends in Prenatal Polysubstance Exposure

Abstract

Researchers are referring to polysubstance use as the “fourth wave” of the opioid epidemic. Prenatal polysubstance exposure is on the rise, leading to increased health and safety complications among infants and caregivers. This study examined the co-occurrence of polysubstance exposures and child maltreatment concerns using Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA) notifications made in Connecticut. Sixteen percent of notifications included polysubstance exposures. The average total number of substances identified among polysubstance cases was 2.39 (range: 2–7). Each additional substance identified was shown to have 2.5 times higher odds of maltreatment report controlling for maternal age, infant race/ethnicity, and toxicology test type. Findings from this study suggest that the total number of substances is a primary factor contributing to maltreatment reports among infants with prenatal substance exposure.