Pregnant women managing opioid addiction and ADHD are less likely to overdose if they stay on their ADHD meds Staying on the meds improved adherence to opioid addiction treatment and reduced ER visits ADHD meds might help reduce impulsive behavior, including use of opioids MONDAY, June 17, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Opioid overdoses in pregnant women are at an all-time high in the United States, and researchers think they’ve figured out one way to counter this phenomenon. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is strongly tied to substance use disorders, which means some women who become pregnant are taking ADHD medications while receiving treatment for . Researchers found that women who keep taking their ADHD medications during pregnancy are more likely to adhere to addiction treatment and less likely to overdose.
“Treatment of ADHD is a huge knowledge gap in obstetrics and even more so in patients with substance use disorder,” said researcher , an associate professor of obstetrics & gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “In obstetrics, a knowledge gap frequently leads to reluctance to treat because of unknown risks to the fetus,” Kelly said.
“However, it’s also really important to discuss the risks of not treating, because untreated disease also can have huge implications for mom’s and baby’s health.” Overdose death rates doubled among pregnant and postpartum women in recent years, rising to about 6 deaths per 100,00.
