Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 29, 2025
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Prescription opioid use during pregnancy and risk for preterm birth or term low birthweight
Julia D Interrante1, Stacey L P Scroggs2, Carol J Hogue3
1National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion, Atlanta, Georgia; Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Insights
Pregnant women using prescription opioids had a higher risk of preterm birth. Further research is needed to determine if the drug or the reason for use causes this increased risk.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Neonatal Health
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Prescription opioid use during pregnancy presents potential risks to both mother and fetus.
- Understanding the association between opioid analgesics and adverse birth outcomes is crucial for clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between prescription opioid analgesic use in pregnancy and the occurrence of preterm birth or term low birthweight.
- To identify specific opioid types and durations of use associated with these outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the US National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2011).
- Inclusion of 10,491 singleton mother/infant pairs.
- Definition of exposure as self-reported prescription opioid use from one month pre-conception to end of pregnancy, categorized by duration (≤7 days vs. >7 days).
Main Results:
- Opioid use was reported by 4.5% of mothers.
- Opioid use was associated with a slightly increased risk of preterm birth (aOR 1.4; 95% CI 1.0, 1.9).
- Specific opioids like hydrocodone, meperidine, and morphine showed increased preterm birth risk; no significant association with term low birthweight was found.
Conclusions:
- Preterm birth was more frequent in infants born to mothers who used prescription opioids during pregnancy.
- The study could not differentiate risks attributed to the opioid itself versus the underlying medical condition requiring opioid use.
- Healthcare providers should counsel pregnant patients on the potential risks of opioid use during pregnancy.
Objective:
Examine the relationship between prescription opioid analgesic use during pregnancy and preterm birth or term low birthweight.
Design, Setting, And Participants:
We analyzed data from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, a US multisite, population-based study, for births from 1997 to 2011. We defined exposure as self-reported prescription opioid use between one month before conception and the end of pregnancy, and we dichotomized opioid use duration by ≤7 days and >7 days.
Main Outcome Measures:
We examined the association between opioid use and preterm birth (defined as gestational age <37 weeks) and term low birthweight (defined as <2500 g at gestational age ≥37 weeks).
Results:
Among 10,491 singleton mother/infant pairs, 470 (4.5 percent) reported opioid use. Among women reporting opioid use, 236 (50 percent) used opioids for > 7 days; codeine (170, 36 percent) and hydrocodone (163, 35 percent) were the most commonly reported opioids. Opioid use was associated with slightly increased risk for preterm birth [adjusted odds ratio, 1.4; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.0, 1.9], particularly with hydrocodone [1.6; 1.0, 2.6], meperidine [2.5; 1.2, 5.2], or morphine [3.0; 1.5, 6.1] use for any duration; however, opioid use was not significantly associated with term low birthweight.
Conclusions:
Preterm birth occurred more frequently among infants of women reporting prescription opioid use during pregnancy. However, we could not determine if these risks relate to the drug or to indications for use. Patients who use opioids during pregnancy should be counseled by their practitioners about this and other potential risks associated with opioid use in pregnancy.
More Related Videos
05:13Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
Published on: February 28, 2025
14:43A Novel Method for Involving Women of Color at High Risk for Preterm Birth in Research Priority Setting
Published on: January 12, 2018
Related Concept Videos
01:15Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids
01:20Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners
01:02Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
01:07Teratogenicity
01:23Upper Respiratory Drugs: Antitussives, Expectorants, and Mucolytics
Antitussives include codeine, dextromethorphan (Robitussin), and benzonatate (Tessalon). Codeine and dextromethorphan exert their effects centrally by suppressing the cough reflex center in the medulla. Benzonatate operates peripherally within the respiratory tract by...
01:29Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...