Prenatal care, pregnancy outcomes, and postpartum birth control plans among pregnant women with opiate addictions.

OBJECTIVES

To describe how effectively we provided adequate prenatal care and postpartum contraception to prevent repeat, unintended pregnancies to women using opiates or medication maintenance therapy (MMT) during pregnancy.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective chart review of 94 women using opiates or MMT during 96 pregnancies while receiving prenatal care in the regional high-risk maternity care clinic between July 2010 and June 2012. We examined prenatal care usage, birth outcomes, and postpartum contraception using χ(2), Kruskal-Wallis, and binary logistic regression modeling.

RESULTS

Patients were predominately white (93.6%), multiparous (75.5%), and in their 20s; 71 (74%) used MMT and 25 (26%) used prescribed or illicit opiates. Fewer than half (44% [46.2%]) received any documented prenatal counseling about postpartum contraception. Sixteen (17%) babies were premature. Sixty-four (66.7%) infants were diagnosed as having neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Only 42 (43.8%) women attended their postpartum visits. Overall, 60 (62.5%) women received postpartum contraception. The only significant predictors of postpartum contraception use were preterm birth and postpartum appointment attendance.

CONCLUSIONS

Alternative strategies for providing postpartum care should be explored because women using opiates or MMT during pregnancy are significantly more likely to use postpartum contraception if they attend their postpartum appointments.