FRIDAY, April 24, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- Less than half of pregnant women with opioid use disorder (OUD) receive medications for OUD (MOUD) during pregnancy, according to a study published online April 22 in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
Silvia S. Martins, M.D., Ph.D., from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City, and colleagues examined prepregnancy clinical factors associated with MOUD receipt in a nationwide commercial insurance database. Pregnancies among women aged 15 to 54 years from 2016 to 2020 were identified.
Among 909,241 total pregnancies, 2,926 women (0.3 percent) had an OUD diagnosis during pregnancy or postpartum. The researchers found that 40.2 percent of the women diagnosed before or during pregnancy with OUD received MOUD. Younger age and nonmetropolitan statistical area residence were positively associated with an OUD diagnosis. Co-occurring chronic pain or concurrent substance use disorder diagnosis other than OUD were factors negatively associated with MOUD receipt during pregnancy. There was a positive association observed for having two or more mental health disorders with MOUD receipt.
"Less than half of pregnant women with OUD receive medication treatment, despite MOUD being the gold standard," Martins said in a statement. "Our findings highlight substantial missed opportunities to provide evidence-based care during pregnancy and underscore the need for targeted interventions."