Alabama Newscenter — Birmingham Artist Pays Tribute to UAB Program Serving Pregnant Women Battling Addiction

By Hannah Echols

At 14, Abbie began using drugs. At 16, she was convinced she would not live to see her 18th birthday. Then, at 22, she was crying in a doctor’s office, pregnant and addicted to heroin.

Shortly after that visit, Abbie received a call from a nurse with the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Obstetrical Complications Clinic inviting her to take part in the new Comprehensive Addiction in Pregnancy Program. The program provides a safe, nonjudgmental space for recovery and care for pregnant women with substance use disorders.

Birmingham artist Amy Peterson had never heard of CAPP. Then a friend commissioned a flower painting to give to a young woman who, like Abbie, was considering the program. In 2020, Peterson had seen firsthand the impacts of substance use disorders after losing a close family friend. Peterson was impressed with how the program addressed the multitude of variables involved with pregnancy and addiction, and she was inspired by the courage of its participants.

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