Improving Outcomes for Early Postpartum Mothers in Outpatient MOUD Treatment

Drug overdose is a leading cause of death among postpartum women and opioid-related mortality is 4 times higher in the postpartum period when compared to the third trimester of pregnancy. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD; e.g., methadone or buprenorphine) are the recommended standard of care for perinatal women with OUD. Studies indicate that 50-60% of perinatal women with OUD initiate medications during pregnancy; however, over half will prematurely discontinue treatment within the first six months of childbirth due to stressors experienced in the postpartum period. Common stressors that contribute to MOUD treatment discontinuation in this population are return to opioid use, mental health symptoms including depression, parenting-related stressors such as challenges in infant care and bonding, Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), child welfare involvement, and feelings of guilt, shame, and stigma. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop effective, recovery-oriented support interventions that promote the initiation and continuity of MOUD treatment in the postpartum period. The current study utilizes community-engaged research methods to identify and prioritize the early parenting-related needs of postpartum women receiving MOUD to inform the adaptation and implementation of an evidence-based parenting intervention for this population receiving outpatient treatment for opioid use disorder.