Prevalence of Substance Use During Pregnancy in New Jersey: Investigating the effects of COVID-19 and cannabis legislation

The goal of this project is to use New Jersey Birth Data to examine the prevalence of maternal substance use during pregnancy (inclusive of alcohol, cigarette smoking, and illicit drugs). We are particularly interested in understanding temporal dynamics in changes in rates of maternal substance use related to the COVID-19 public health emergency and recent legislation legalizing cannabis, as well as whether women with substance use disorders or psychiatric disorders were more vulnerable to these events. We would also like to understand the intersection between maternal substance use and other social determinants of health including education, employment, and race-ethnicity. Establishing this knowledge base is critical for prioritizing prevention and intervention efforts.