PolicyLab

A 2020 statewide needs assessment identified substance use as one of the most pressing issues impacting families with young children in Pennsylvania. Moreover, reviews of maternal mortality across the state have shown the prominent influence of substance use on mortality among new mothers. Driven by these findings, a team of PolicyLab researchers set out to explore the use of medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) among pregnant and postpartum people.

The team found that by 2020, about 43% of birthing people with OUD received evidence-based buprenorphine treatment, and that treatment discontinuation and interruptions were common in the period surrounding childbirth.

In a new video, the study team outlines the topic of substance use disorder among pregnant and postpartum people, highlights the challenge of accessing treatment, and shares how they hope to use research findings to inform future program and policy efforts to improve equitable access to treatment: