Maternity

Freedom Healthcare Services treats pregnant patients who have a narcotic addiction. Initially, any possible pregnant patient that contacts FHS is advised that Methadone Maintenance treatment is the FDA approved form of treatment for an opiate addicted pregnant female.

Our second option for a pregnant patient is Subutex treatment. This form of treatment allows the patient to have the flexibility of a take home prescription and helps stabilize the patient's craving for opiates. FHS provides each pregnant patient on Subutex with individualized psychotherapy services and shall meet the following:

Patients entering the Subutex program will also undergo a 90 day orientation process with 2.5 hours of therapy per month along with two random urine screens.

Any pregnant patient seeking buprenorphine treatment will be switched to Subutex for the safety of the fetus and maintained with no decreases in dose.

A comprehensive maintenance regime is established in each individual case by the program's Medical Director. Educational provisions are made for each pregnant patient in order to fully inform each patient of the possible risk to her or her unborn child if they continue to use illicit drugs.

FHS coordinates the following during a pregnancy:

• A patient receives referral information for pre-natal care through Magee Womens Hospital or can seek treatment with her own OB/GYN or midwife. A patient also receives educational information developed by staff discussing drug use and pregnancy.
• Patient are asked to sign releases of information for her OB/GYN/midwife so that FHS staff may coordinate care in order to monitor patient’s pregnancy closely.
• Nursing staff completes a monthly update with the patient until the ninth month and then begin weekly updates until birth.
• Medical staff informs the patient that upon admission to the hospital, the hospital should call FHS to confirm patient’s information in order to have continuity of care.

Freedom Healthcare Services ensures that each female patient is fully informed of the risk to her and her unborn child from continued use of illicit drugs. FHS educates a patient on potential risks from use or withdrawal from a narcotic drug which is administered and or dispensed as part of their comprehensive maintenance treatment or detoxification treatment.