Program seeks Council approval for an initiative titled “Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy.” Opioid use has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. with 259 million prescriptions in 2012 alone and this epidemic has not spared pregnant women. Approximately one third of insured reproductive-aged women fill a prescription for an opioid medication each year.
The goal of this initiative is to solicit research proposals that address the following research gaps identified in a NICHD convened workshop in 2016:
- Clinical studies of maternal medically supervised opioid withdrawal examining maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes.
- Observational or cohort studies evaluating the effects of opioid agonist treatment on maternal, fetal and neonatal outcomes. This may include evaluation of fetal status and placental function.
- Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies of medications used for opioid use disorder treatment in pregnant or post-partum women.
- Pharmacogenomic and other studies of genetic and/or epigenetic factors associated with the effects of opioid use during pregnancy on fetal and neonatal outcomes.
This proposed concept aligns with the NICHD Vision areas of Pregnancy and Pregnancy Outcomes.
This proposed concept aligns with the PPB research priority areas of improving the health of women before, during, and after pregnancy and reducing birth complications.
Program Contact
Uma Reddy
Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch
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