Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2013 Sep;40(3):337-50.
doi: 10.1016/j.clp.2013.05.015. Epub 2013 Jul 4.

Chronic opioid use during pregnancy: maternal and fetal implications

Todd J Stanhope  1 , Lisa A Gill, Carl Rose
Affiliations
Review

Chronic opioid use during pregnancy: maternal and fetal implications

Todd J Stanhope et al. Clin Perinatol. 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Current trends in the United States suggest that chronic narcotic use has increased in reproductive aged women over the past 10 years. Regular exposure to such substances during pregnancy has maternal and fetal implications. Appropriate prenatal care is critical to optimizing outcomes. Management options for narcotic dependence should be patient-specific and may include discontinuation of narcotics with careful observation, limitation of prescription dispensing, or substitution therapy with methadone or buprenorphine. A multidisciplinary, collaborative approach is highly recommended. This review discusses usage of narcotic medications, associated maternal and fetal risks, and management strategies for the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum periods.

Keywords: Buprenorphine; Methadone; Narcotic; Opioid; Pregnancy.

PubMed Disclaimer

MeSH terms