I s Getting Pregnant While on Methadone Safe?

Overall, getting pregnant while on methadone is risk-free. Women who are suffering from OUD during pregnancy may be prescribed the drug.

In pregnancy, methadone is recognized as a Category C medicine. This indicates it's safe to take throughout the pregnancy because it's non teratogenic, meaning it won't cause birth problems in the baby. However, using methadone during pregnancy carries considerable hazards, including the possibility of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Methadone and Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women

Methadone can be taken safely by pregnant or breastfeeding women. When a pregnant woman experiences withdrawal from an abused medication, her uterus contracts, potentially leading to miscarriage or early birth. Methadone's ability to suppress withdrawal symptoms helps pregnant women manage their addiction while minimizing health concerns to both the mother and the baby. While receiving methadone maintenance medication while pregnant will not result in birth abnormalities, some newborns may have withdrawal symptoms after delivery. This does not necessarily imply that the child is addicted. Withdrawal in infants normally starts a few days after delivery, but it might start two to four weeks later. Breastfeeding is still possible for methadone-addicted mothers. The benefits of breastfeeding have been shown to exceed the effects of the small amount of methadone that enters breast milk. If a woman is considering halting methadone medication owing to worries about breastfeeding or pregnancy, she should consult her doctor first.

Methadone is one of the most successful drugs for treating opioid use disorders in medication-assisted therapy (MAT) programs. Methadone is an opioid agonist, which means it binds completely to the same opioid receptors that heroin does. When provided at a therapeutic dose, methadone, on the other hand, has a substantially longer half-life than heroin or other opioids, meaning it lasts much longer and is useful in controlling physical withdrawal symptoms for 24-36 hours. It also has opioid blocking qualities, which means it reduces the euphoric effects of other opioids used in a MAT regimen.

Methadone also changes the way your brain and nervous system respond to pain. This helps to alleviate the unpleasant symptoms of opioid withdrawal. In a clinic environment, a MAT program provides patients with safe access to methadone. The medication is given out in the form of a wafer or a liquid under physician supervision. Methadone is not available in pill form for the treatment of opioid addiction. Patients will go to the clinic every day to get their medication early on in their rehabilitation. This gives the early stages of healing much-needed structure. Methadone maintenance minimizes the risk of misuse while protecting the patient from the severe effects of opiate withdrawal.

Methadone-assisted treatment (MAT) is one of the most effective forms of treatment for persons suffering from opioid addiction, especially expectant moms.

When pursuing opioid addiction therapy while pregnant, the most important consideration is the baby's safety. As a result, many expecting moms are hesitant to fully explore methadone maintenance therapy choices. Many people believe that MAT programs "substitute one drug for another," which is a common misconception. This is far from the case, and knowing the facts about methadone and pregnancy can help you make the best decision for you and your child.

Methadone is safe for pregnant women battling opioid addiction, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Since the 1970s, MAT has been utilized to treat pregnant women. MAT programs were established as the best practice treatment for pregnant women with opioid use disorders by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) in 1998. Although methadone may cause unfavorable side effects in the infant, it's crucial to remember that they're far less likely and hazardous than the effects of the most widely overused opioids. The hazards of methadone treatment are insignificant when compared to the dangers of your infant being exposed to prescription or illicit medications used in uncontrolled doses more than once a day.