Course Detail

Caring for Pregnant and Postpartum Persons with Opioid Use Disorder

Details

Published Date: 09/05/2025

Expiration Date: 04/14/2028

CE Credit: CME:1

Description

Over 4.4% of pregnant women in the U.S. use one or more substances during pregnancy, and early screening, interventions, and referrals for opioid use disorder (OUD) can improve outcomes for both mothers and infants. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends a cautious approach to opioid prescribing, emphasizing the need to balance pain management with potential risks. For pregnant individuals with OUD, buprenorphine and methadone are recommended treatments to be offered early in pregnancy. Breastfeeding is beneficial for women on methadone or buprenorphine, as it can reduce neonatal abstinence syndrome, but women who relapse into illicit drug use should suspend breastfeeding, and overdose education with naloxone should be provided postpartum.

Presenter(s)

Leah Habersham,MD, MBA, MSCR, FACOG, FASAM

Leah L. Habersham, MD, is an Assistant Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, holding primary appointments in both the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences and Psychiatry. As a dual board-certified OB/GYN and Addiction Medicine specialist, Dr. Habersham leads The Bridge Program, an innovative initiative providing integrated obstetric, gynecologic, and addiction care. Her research is centered at the intersection of maternal health and substance use and use disorders, with an additional emphasis on inequities. Dr. Habersham has authored peer-reviewed publications and is recognized for her contributions to advancing equitable and compassionate care for pregnant and parenting individuals with substance use disorders.

Learning Objectives

Define best practices for the management of opioid use disorder in pregnant and postpartum persons, including the use of medications for opioid use disorder.
Describe the basic principles of harm reduction and how to apply them to the care of pregnant and postpartum persons with opioid use disorder.
Discuss case studies on managing opioid use disorder for pregnant and postpartum persons, using a harm reduction approach.

Continuing Education Credit Information

Learn more and Enroll