Addressing Stigma and Providing Care for People with Perinatal Opioid / Barnard Center Lecture Series

BARNARD CENTER FREE LECTURE SERIES

Addressing Stigma and Providing Care for People with Perinatal Opioid
with Dr. Ira Kantrowitz-Gordon

The motivation to seek treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) can increase during the perinatal period. However, several identified barriers, such as poor access to services, lack of trained providers, stigma, and legal ramifications of OUD, limit the ability for individuals with OUD to receive safe and supportive care during pregnancy and birth.

Ira Kantrowitz-Gordon, PhD, CNM, ARNP, FACNM
As a nurse-midwife, I provide reproductive health care to women at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington. Serving women from minority and immigrant populations with language barriers and other disadvantages sparked my interest in the connection between stress and preterm birth. In my PhD dissertation I used a combination of interviews and photo-elicitation to explore parents distress after preterm birth. Since then I have become interested in finding ways to reduce stress during pregnancy using mindfulness techniques. Using data from a large internet survey of stress in pregnancy, I am examining the relationship between mindfulness and depression, anxiety, and stress. I am also testing an internet mindfulness program for high-risk pregnant women with the goal of making stress-reduction simple and accessible. The ultimate goal of my program of research is to improve outcomes for high-risk families.