CV NEWS FEED // Drug overdose deaths in pregnant and postpartum girls and women in America have risen in the last five years, according to a new study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
Researchers at NIDA studied pregnant or postpartum girls and women aged 10 to 44 from January to June of 2018 and July to December of 2021. According to the results of their study, overdose mortality more than tripled during the study period among pregnant or postpartum women aged 35 to 44, going from only 4.9 deaths per 100,000 mothers in 2018 to 15.8 deaths per 100,000 women in 2021.
Among the total number of women and girls studied—aged 10 to 44 who died between 43 days and one year postpartum—overdose rates went from 3.1 in 2018 to 6.1 in 2021.
Most of the overdose deaths occurred outside healthcare settings, even though many overdosed in counties with available healthcare resources, like hospitals and obstetric care. According to NIDA, pregnant and postpartum women who overdosed were more likely to reside in counties with highly rated obstetrics care and psychiatrists.
“The findings suggest that, while treatment is available to pregnant women with substance use disorders, significant barriers—such as penalization, stigma, discrimination, and limited socioeconomic resources—may obstruct the path to care,” the researchers wrote.
The NIDA researchers also noted that overdose mortality spiked during the COVID-19 pandemic, but said that the specifics of pregnancy-associated overdosing are still unclear.
“These results reflect the persistent national overdose crisis and demonstrate that pregnancy is an urgent time for interventions that can reduce the risk of overdose,” said Emily Einstein, Ph.D., NIDA Science Policy Branch Chief and study co-author.
“Stigmatizing and penalizing women with substance use disorders makes it very hard for them to seek help for drug use and receive routine prenatal care,” she continued. “Effective treatments and medical services exist—unfettered access is needed to help mothers and children survive.”
