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Intersection Of Maternal Disability Status, Prescription Opioid Use Before And During Pregnancy, And Adverse Birth Outcomes, Chelsea Lynes Richard

Theses and Dissertations

Nationally, individuals with disability, like those with chronic health conditions, have higher rates of opioid use and misuse and are prescribed higher dosages than those without disability. Because opioid agonists and antagonists can cross the placenta rapidly, there is biological plausibility that they may have an impact on birth outcomes. Therefore, monitoring prescription opioid use, particularly among pregnant women, is of great public health importance. While evidence for the impact of opioid use on preterm birth and low birthweight are conflicting; findings are consistent that opioid use during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of small for gestational age, …