Reviewing the Impact of Maternal Opioid Use Disorder on Fetal Development and Long-Term Pediatric Health Outcomes

Abstract

Opioid use during pregnancy has emerged as a notable public health concern with far-reaching impacts on both maternal and child health. This review investigates the consequences of opioid use disorder (OUD) and maternal opioid use during pregnancy, focusing on fetal and pediatric outcomes and available treatment options. The study focuses on the rising prevalence of opioid use among pregnant women, with emphasis on the adverse effects on neonates, including neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), preterm birth, low birth weight, and long-term cognitive and behavioral deficits. Furthermore, it explores the neurological implications of opioid exposure on fetal brain development, emphasizing disrupted synaptic plasticity, oligodendrocyte differentiation, and myelination. Current treatment strategies such as opioid maintenance therapy (OMT) with methadone and buprenorphine are discussed, including their benefits in improving prenatal care adherence but also their associated risks, such as NAS and small birth weights. Maternal OUD underscores the need for a multidisciplinary approach to manage opioid dependence in pregnant women effectively and calls for more comprehensive research to address the long-term developmental impacts on children, as well as to explore more effective prevention and intervention strategies for maternal OUD.