Overdose deaths among pregnant and postpartum women nearly tripled between 2018 and 2021, a new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has found. The rate of overdoses increased from 4.9 per 100,000 women between the ages 35-44 to 15.8 in 2021.
The study authors believe that the increasing overdose rate could signal that there are still significant barriers to addiction treatment among vulnerable populations. Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), stated, “The stigma and punitive policies that burden pregnant women with substance use disorder increase overdose risk by making it harder to access life-saving treatment and resources.”
The study was mounted in order to better understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted overdose rates and people with substance abuse disorders, the NIH said. Overall, overdose rates rose sharply during the pandemic. A similar study in late 2022 found that overdose deaths among pregnant women significantly increased during the pandemic.
The study found that women who died of overdoses while pregnant were more likely to be younger than those who died of other complications during pregnancy. Overdose deaths were also more likely to occur outside of health care facilities, despite a majority having access to high-quality hospitals.
“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, NIDA Science Policy Branch chief and a 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.”
The study highlights the urgent need for reducing barriers and stigma surrounding addiction in order to help pregnant individuals seek and receive evidence-based treatment and social support to sustain their health as well as their child’s health. Effective treatments and medical services exist — unfettered access is needed to help mothers and children survive.
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