This retrospective cohort study used Massachusetts hospital discharge data from 2016 through 2020 to examine severe maternal morbidity among birthing people with and without opioid use disorder. The analysis included 324,012 childbirths and assessed whether opioid use disorder and race or ethnicity were associated with severe maternal morbidity after adjustment for patient and hospital characteristics.
Severe maternal morbidity occurred at a rate of 148 per 10,000 childbirths among those with opioid use disorder, compared with 88 per 10,000 among those without. In adjusted analyses, opioid use disorder was associated with 2.12 times the odds of severe maternal morbidity (95% confidence interval 1.64–2.75). Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic birthing people also had higher adjusted odds than non-Hispanic White birthing people overall; within the subgroup with opioid use disorder, racial and ethnic differences were not statistically significant. The authors emphasize improved access to treatment and support and recommend tracking severe maternal morbidity in perinatal quality improvement efforts.
Original summary for clinical review. Read the published study.
