summary

Problem use of legal and illegal substances in pregnant and post-harsh women is a topic of growing social-health concern, which has been poorly studied from a gender perspective. This article presents the results obtained from a qualitative and cross-cutting multicenter study conducted between May 2018 and June 2019. The objective was to describe patterns and representations of psychoactive substance use, as well as access to care in pregnant and postpartgeal women. The sample was intentional, consisting of 62 women attending general hospitals in Bariloche, Concordia and La Matanza, who participated in semi-structured interviews. Among the results is the taboo associated with the use of psychoactive substances in pregnant and nursing women, the discrimination these women experience in health services and the lack of material support faced by women in performing care tasks, which limits for them the possibility of taking care of themselves.