Treating perinatal opioid use disorder in rural settings: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

Perinatal opioid use disorder (OUD) is a life-threatening condition that significantly impacts women in rural areas. Medication assisted treatment (MAT) is the recommended treatment but can be difficult to access. Pregnant women may initially present for treatment of OUD in the emergency department, on labor and delivery units, or in an office setting, each of which presents unique challenges. Initiation of MAT in the appropriate setting, based on accurate assessment of gestational age, is a centrally important component of care for perinatal OUD. However, initiating treatment may present challenges to providers who lack experience treating this disorder. Vermont and New Hampshire are predominantly rural states which have focused on expanding MAT access for pregnant women using two different approaches to integrating treatment with maternity care.

Keywords: Buprenorphine in pregnancy, medication-assisted treatment in pregnancy; Opioid use disorder in pregnancy; Prenatal care; Rural health care; Rural maternity care; Rural opioid use disorder; Substance use disorder in pregnancy.