Neonatal Outcomes after Use of Buprenorphine during Pregnancy

This editorial discusses the impact of the opioid crisis on pregnant individuals and their infants, comparing the efficacy of buprenorphine and methadone for treating opioid use disorder during pregnancy. It highlights findings from the Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) trial and a subsequent large scale Medicaid study by Suarez et al., which demonstrated that buprenorphine use is associated with lower risks of neonatal abstinence syndrome, preterm birth, and low birth weight compared to methadone. The editorial underscores the importance of shared decision making in treatment choices, especially amid rising fentanyl use, and calls for further research to expand treatment options for pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder.

This editorial discusses the impact of the opioid crisis on pregnant individuals and their infants, comparing the efficacy of buprenorphine and methadone for treating opioid use disorder during pregnancy. It highlights findings from the Maternal Opioid Treatment: Human Experimental Research (MOTHER) trial and a subsequent large scale Medicaid study by Suarez et al., which demonstrated that buprenorphine use is associated with lower risks of neonatal abstinence syndrome, preterm birth, and low birth weight compared to methadone. The editorial underscores the importance of shared decision making in treatment choices, especially amid rising fentanyl use, and calls for further research to expand treatment options for pregnant individuals with opioid use disorder.