Maternal Opioid Use Disorder-Maternal Opioid Use Disorder-Video

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Rachel Duncan, a clinical pharmacist in perinatal addiction care, discusses maternal opioid use disorder and its impact on pregnancy and postpartum outcomes. She emphasizes that overdose is a leading cause of pregnancy-associated death, especially in the later postpartum period, and that only about half of pregnant patients with opioid use disorder receive recommended medication treatment. The talk reviews evidence supporting medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), especially buprenorphine and methadone, noting both are safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding and are standard of care.<br /><br />She highlights workflow strategies for obstetrical settings: universal screening with validated tools, SBIRT, brief motivational interventions, warm handoffs, care coordination, and plans of safe care. The session also addresses co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions, trauma-informed care, stigma reduction, and person-first language.<br /><br />Finally, she stresses harm reduction, especially naloxone distribution and overdose education, and urges clinicians to replace punitive responses with therapeutic, collaborative care that improves maternal and infant outcomes.

Keywords

pregnancy-associated death

opioid use disorder

medication for opioid use disorder

buprenorphine

methadone

postpartum overdose

harm reduction

naloxone distribution