Key Features of Care Models for Mother-Infant Dyads Affected by Opioid Use Disorder

Pregnant and postpartum individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their infants face major disparities in access to preventive health care. National data show they are over 50% less likely to receive recommended prenatal, postpartum, and well-child visits and more likely to rely on emergency or hospital care. To address these inequities, the Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative launched the Maternal-Infant Dyad Project in 2022 with seven multidisciplinary health care teams across the state. The project sought to identify and elevate strategies that improve care for mother-infant dyads affected by maternal OUD. Each team completed a 23-item survey, developed through literature review and expert input, assessing four domains of dyad-focused care: (1) evidence-based clinical care, (2) accessible and integrated services, (3) transitions to primary care, and (4) a strengths-based, inclusive culture. Teams then ranked their top three priorities. The most frequently identified strategies were (1) creating individualized care plans that integrate medication for OUD and behavioral health supports; (2) assigning a dedicated person to link patients with providers and community resources; and (3) conducting recurring case reviews among key stakeholders to coordinate care. Findings reinforce prior research and national guidelines, underscoring the importance of patient-centered planning, care navigation, and team-based coordination. Perinatal quality collaboratives like Ohio's are well positioned to lead future quality-improvement efforts that center equity and advance care for maternal-infant dyads affected by OUD through continued collaboration with nurses, frontline providers, and systems-level partners.