Analysis of Surge in Narcotic Prescriptions for Pregnant Women

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Analysis of Surge in Narcotic Prescriptions for Pregnant Women by Abimbola Ademola-Dada
Thesis
While Mothers may need opioid due to the pain they are experiencing, Opioids should be used limitedly in pregnant patient if a Pregnancy risk category is not place on the opioid.
Summarize it
Increase of opioid prescriptions to pregnant women by doctors is at an all time rise. Out of 1.1million pregnant women who are in the Medicaid program nearly 23% filled an opioid prescription in 2007, which is an increase from 2000 (18.5%). The opioids that were prescribed in the past and those currently being prescribed the most include codeine and hydrocodone. The most prescribed medication was given for duration of a week or less (Only 2 % took opioids for a longer period). The rate of opioid prescription was lower in the Northeast and highest in the South. Increase in opioid prescription brings an issue because less that 10% of medications approved since 1980 have sufficient data to determine the fetal category of the drug. Healthcare providers and individual researching the use of opioids have shown greater concerns for the use of opioid prescription during first trimester and the role it may play in neural tube defects. Research shows that mothers with children with neural tube defects were on opioids in early pregnancy than mothers of children without congenital defects. Researchers found that opioid use by pregnant woman during her early trimester doubled the risk of neural tube defects. Some effects may not be as noticeable on the child after birth but are recognized after a few days. Neonatal abstinence syndrome (infant opioid addiction) can be notice 2-7 days after childbirth. The CDC has started a program titled “treating for two initia...

... middle of paper ...

...ww.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/features/birthdefects-Opioid-Analgesics-keyfindings.html

Choosing Treatment for Pregnant Women Addicted to Opioids. [homepage on the Internet]. 2012 [cited 2014 Apr 17]. Available from: http://www.drugfree.org/join-together/addiction/choosing-treatment-for-pregnant-women-addicted-to-opioids

Identifying Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) and Treatment Guidelines Hospital. [homepage on the Internet]. 2013 [cited 2014 Apr 17]. Available from: University of Iowa Children’s Hospital, Web site: http://www.uichildrens.org/uploadedFiles/UIChildrens/Health_Professionals/Iowa_Neonatology_Handbook/Pharmacology/Neonatal%20Abstinence%20Syndrome%20Treatment%20Guidelines%20Feb2013%20revision.pdf

Chou R, Fanciullo G, et al'. Clinical Guidelines for the Use of Chronic Opioid Therapy in Chronic Noncancer Pain. The Journal of Pain 2009; 10(2):113-130.

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