Why New Mothers are Prone to Opioid Addiction

in #mothers6 years ago (edited)

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Addiction to prescription drugs have been a widespread problem for many patients looking to manage pain. A new study revealed that a rising demographic seem to be more susceptible to opioid addiction.

There is a new study (https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-01-postpartum-opioid-rx-persistent.html) from Vanderbilt University that shows how new mothers are prone to opioid addiction. According to the Tennessee University, new mothers are given pain medications such as opioids after delivery. Many of these women have a great risk of becoming addicted. According to the examined information from 102,000 mothers who recently gave birth in Tennessee, none of the new mothers have been given prescription opioids before delivery of have used any similar drugs during pregnancy. However, the study revealed that 89% of the sample who had a caesarean delivery and 53% of those who had vaginal delivery eventually asked for opioid prescriptions.

After a follow-up among the sample, those who continued using the opioid prescriptions one year after the delivery was less than 1%. The number of women who persistently used the prescriptions were observed from those who had caesarean delivery. The percentage of risk with opioid addiction was equal to all women with varying birth delivery types, and the common risk factor was observed through the choice of filling out additional prescription opioids after birth. The study suggested that these prescription protocols allowed by health establishments may put many new mothers at risk for opioid addiction.

According to the senior author of the study, Dr. Carlos Grijalva, this is one of the pioneer researches that found the link between postpartum opioid abuse and prescription practices exist regardless of delivery types. Their studies show that if the prescription practices are to be continued, the estimated number of new mothers undergoing opioid addiction would be 21,000 every year. Their first exposure to the drug would be the filling out of prescriptions for pain relief during the initial period of birth recovery.

This is a concerning statistic since 86% of women living in the United States had at least one successful delivery, and around 33% of these women have undergone C-section. The continuous practice of opioid prescription may further increase the risk of chronic opioid abuse for these women, according to Dr. Sarah Osmundson. She reiterates that there must be standards and change in policies when it comes to opioid prescriptions to decrease the number of women who may potentially be addicted to these drugs.

The conclusion of the research team stated that new mothers should take precautions in using opioid as this poses a risk for her an her newborn. Obstetricians and other healthcare providers should be aware of these risks, and should be leaning towards alternative methods of managing pain after delivery.

Some of the common pain management opioids include oxycodone, tramadol, buprenorphine, codeine, hydroconion, methadone, morphine and fentanyl. If a new mother forms a drug dependence out of these prescriptions but cannot sustain them financially, they may resort to finding illicit substances such as heroin for a lower price.

Below are some things to remember when taking opioids during and after pregnancy:

  • Opioids are pain management medications (https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/prescription-opioids-during-pregnancy.aspx) often given after surgery, injuries, dental work, or problems with chronic pain. Some of the most common variants are codeine, morphine, and oxycodone.
  • Taking opioid medications during pregnancy is very risky. This can cause problems (https://medlineplus.gov/pregnancyandopioids.html) with the mother and the unborn baby, such as premature labor and delivery complications. Even if this is resolved, the baby can also suffer from problems such as neurological disorders, drug dependency, and even fetal death.
  • If you are already taking opioids as a pregnant mother and suspect that you may be dependent, do not quit abruptly. This can lead to severe withdrawal symptoms that may harm you and your baby. It is best to get medical and professional help as soon as possible before further harm takes place. Medical professionals are trained to help those with an opioid dependency to quit safely.
  • Most women who are taking prescribed opioids are safe to breastfeed. However, if you are taking illicit drugs or have been infected with HIV, it is not recommended to breastfeed your newborn. Consult your healthcare provider for alternative newborn feeding options.

We at the Sunshine Behavioral Health Group (https://twitter.com/sunshinebehavi1) believe in spreading as much information opioid recovery as we can.

Pic Credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/motherhood-baby-mother-infant-1209814/

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