Pregnancy & Overdose: The Roles of Harm Reduction, Healthcare & Criminalization

This webinar was hosted by Drug Policy Alliance.

The overdose crisis has deeply impacted pregnant and postpartum people. In this Drug Researchers’ Roundtable, Drs. Silvia Martins and Emilie Bruzelius discussed their recent study, which found that overdoses were involved in over 1 in 6 pregnancy-associated deaths in 2020. They explained recent trends in pregnancy-associated overdose mortality, as well factors - such as the pandemic, healthcare access, and an unregulated drug supply - that may contribute to this increase in deaths. Lisa Sangoi, Co-Director and Co-Founder of Movement for Family Power, explained the role of drug war criminalization and the family policing system in contributing to family separation and poorer drug-related outcomes.