Aotearoa New Zealand has the third highest prevalence of prescribed opioid use throughout being pregnant in a brand new multi-national examine of 13 high-income international locations.
Co-author of the analysis Dr. Sarah Donald, of the College of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka Division of Preventive and Social Medication, says the findings had been surprising and the dangers of opioid use should be higher thought-about.
“Of the taking part international locations, solely the US and Iceland had increased prescribed use. Nearly 8% of pregnancies in New Zealand had been uncovered to an opioid, in comparison with solely 4% in Canada and 0.4% within the UK,” she says.
“Opioid use shall be influenced by native elements such because the prevalence of pain-related circumstances, the group of the well being system, and approaches towards ache reduction, however this between-country variation suggests it’s time to check out the New Zealand tips,” she says.
The examine, led by the College of New South Wales and revealed in journal Anesthesiology, analyzed prescription analgesic opioid use throughout greater than 20 million pregnancies, excluding throughout childbirth, from the years 2000 to 2020.
It used anonymized information from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, the UK, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, and located use was secure, or downward trending over time in most international locations.
The best charge of use was within the US and the bottom was within the UK. Total, the most typical opioids taken had been codeine and tramadol.
Use was extra widespread in late being pregnant, and amongst these with decrease revenue and better physique mass index.
Dr. Donald says use of any prescription treatment throughout being pregnant additionally elevated over the 20-year interval.
“This common development might mirror the rising age of pregnant people, and subsequently the next prevalence of medical circumstances requiring remedy, in addition to rising recognition of the historic undertreatment of pregnant folks.
“For opioids particularly, the drivers of elevated use in being pregnant are unclear, and additional analysis on this space can be useful. It’s reassuring, although, that of these utilizing an opioid throughout being pregnant, about 80% obtained only one prescription.”
Co-author Professor Lianne Parkin, additionally of Otago’s Division of Preventive and Social Medication, says opioids cross the placenta, exposing the fetus, and use throughout early being pregnant might improve the chance of sure congenital malformations.
“They’ll additionally improve the chance of antagonistic outcomes corresponding to preterm beginning and low beginning weight, respiration issues or withdrawal signs within the child after supply, and longer-term neurodevelopmental circumstances.
“These dangers should be thought-about when deciding whether or not to make use of opioids to deal with average or extreme ache throughout being pregnant.”
Extra data:
Jonathan Brett et al, World Traits in Analgesic Opioid Use in Being pregnant: A Retrospective Cohort Examine, Anesthesiology (2025). DOI: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000005418
Quotation:
Excessive charges of opioid use present in NZ pregnancies (2025, Could 26)
retrieved 26 Could 2025
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