Updated: February, 2024

Author: Family and Child Health, Vermont Department of Health

This indicator, or population measure, is part of our Healthy Vermonters 2030 data set. Read more about how this data helps us understand and improve the well-being of people in Vermont on the Healthy Vermonters 2030 webpage.

Because this data is meant to show how the health of our state changes during the decade from 2020-2030, some indicators may have very few data points for now. Keep checking back to see the progress our public health system and partners are making.

We want to see the percent of pregnant people who don't use illicit drugs during pregnancy increase to 80% or higher by 2030. 2020 is the baseline year for Healthy Vermonters 2030 and data will be updated as it becomes available.

Illicit drugs include those that are illegal, and also controlled substances that are misused (such as drugs that require a prescription but are not used in the way they are prescribed).

According to the Family and Child Health Title V needs assessment completed in 2020, the rate of substance use during pregnancy for Vermonters is four times higher than the national rate.  During the pandemic, parts of the healthcare systems become more disconnected, and the overall situation for substance use in the country got worse. This means Vermont is now facing an even more serious substance use crisis.

Looking for more data?

• See the corresponding national Healthy People 2030 objective for increasing the percent of people abstaining from illicit drugs during pregnancy.

According to the Maternal Mortality Review Panel, accidental overdose is the leading cause of death for people in the perinatal period (just before, during, and just after pregnancy) in Vermont. 

Many illicit drugs pass through the placenta to the fetus and may affect the health and development of a baby.  Substance use during pregnancy may cause miscarriage, preterm labor, birth defects, stillbirth, higher risk of sudden infant unexplained death, poor fetal growth rate and developmental issues.

Knowing how many people are using drugs during pregnancy can help the Division of Family and Child Health and partners across the state take appropriate action. This data can inform strategies and activities to prevent people from using illicit drugs during pregnancy.

Substance use disorder (SUD) is highly stigmatized, especially for those in the perinatal period (just before, during, and just after pregnancy).  Parents with SUD report 49% greater odds of being treated unfairly compared with non-parenting people with SUD.  Experiencing this stigma because of SUD negatively impacts the care that these pregnant people receive. This can worsen inequalities in the treatment and outcomes for people who also experience other types of discrimination.

The Family and Child Health (FCH) Division partners closely with the Perinatal Quality Collaborative Vermont (PQC-Vt) on quality improvement projects to address perinatal substance use. This work incorporates the knowledge of people with lived experience (people who have experienced perinatal substance use) in a Parent Advisory Panel.

FCH and the PQC-Vt are also collaborating with faculty at the University of Vermont Medical Center to incorporate the Alliance for Innovations on Maternal Health perinatal substance use disorder (SUD) safety bundle. This is a method for addressing SUD care in both the clinical and community systems. The Maternal Mortality Review Panel has also made multiple recommendations for preventing perinatal death due to substance use in their 2024 report to the legislature.

FCH is also participating in an In Depth Technical Assistance project (supported by the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare) to help people with SUD during the perinatal period who are also involved with the child welfare system. This project is focused on improving systems of care in the community.

The Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) is a survey which asks people about their lives and behaviors before, during, and after pregnancy. The survey is given to people who had a recent live birth, and Vermont samples between 1,350-1,550 people per year. The PRAMS survey uses a mailed questionnaire followed by a telephone survey, and also has a secure web-based option.

View the 2023 version of the PRAMS survey