Literature Collection

More than 2 million Americans have an opioid use disorder (OUD). Although untreated OUD is devastating, most persons who are treated achieve remission, particularly with opioid agonist therapy (OAT), which includes such medications as methadone and buprenorphine. Each year, 12.5 million buprenorphine prescriptions are filled in the United States and 350 000 persons receive methadone (1, 2). This growing population has unique health needs, with higher prevalence of conditions that may require organ transplant, such as hepatitis C. Yet, persons with OUD may be deemed ineligible for transplant, even when they are successfully treated with OAT (3, 4).

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Perinatal opioid use is a major public health problem and is associated with a number of deleterious maternal and fetal effects. We review recent evidence of perinatal outcomes and treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy. RECENT FINDINGS: Opioid exposure in pregnancy is associated with multiple obstetric and neonatal adverse outcomes, with the most common being neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). Treatment with buprenorphine or methadone is associated with NOWS, but neither medication appears to have significant adverse effects on early childhood development. Buprenorphine appears to be superior to methadone in terms of incidence and severity of NOWS in exposed infants. The long-term effects of opioid exposure in utero have been inconclusive, but recent longitudinal studies point to potential differences in brain morphology that may increase vulnerability to future stressors. Maintenance therapy with methadone or buprenorphine remains the standard of care for pregnant women with OUD given its consistent superiority to placebo in terms of rates of illicit drug use and pregnancy outcomes. New non-pharmacologic management options for NOWS appear promising. Future research is needed to further evaluate the effects of opioid exposure in utero and determine the optimal delivery model for maintenance therapy.

IMPORTANCE: The use and misuse of opioids in pregnancy have been increasing and are a major public health issue. Opioid use in pregnancy and during lactation has been associated with increased maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to summarize the existing literature and current recommendations for opioid use while pregnant or lactating. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar literature search using the following terms was performed to gather relevant data: "opioids," "opioid maintenance therapy," "opioid use disorder," "suboxone," "buprenorphine," "methadone," "medication for opioid use disorder," "fetal outcomes," "perinatal outcomes," "pregnancy," "lactation," and "neonatal abstinence syndrome." RESULTS: Available studies on opioid use in pregnancy and during lactation were reviewed and support association with increased odds of maternal death, placental insufficiency, cardiac arrest, preterm birth, neonatal intensive care unit admission, low birth weight, and small for gestational age infants. Studies were also reviewed on pharmacotherapy options in pregnancy and promising prenatal care models. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: There is a critical need for research on the effects of opioid use and related pharmacotherapy options in pregnancy. Once the adverse perinatal effects of opioid exposure are identified and well-characterized, patient education, intervention, and antenatal surveillance can be developed to predict and mitigate its impact on maternal and fetal health.