Outpatient tapering of buprenorphine in opioid use disorder pregnancies may improve neonatal outcomes

• DOI: 10.1038/s41372-025-02211-6
• Publication Date: 2025-02-10T22:12:21Z
• Authors: Darshan Shah; Rakesh Adelli; Alyson Chroust; Nicole Lewis; Martin Olsen

Abstract Objective: The main objective of the study was to compare neonatal outcomes; the incidence of NOWS, length of hospital stay (LOS), admission to neonatal intensive care (NICU), treatment with morphine and head circumference between newborns of mothers who had tapering of buprenorphine (T group) during pregnancy to non-tapering of buprenorphine (NT group. Study Design: It was a prospective, pilot, case-control trial of pregnant women done in North-East Tennessee in pregnancy with opioid use disorder (OUD) in tapered (T) group as a part of clinical contract while NT group did not taper medication. Results: Significant differences observed in maternal buprenorphine doses, 1.47 versus 7.6 (p < 0.0001), and neonatal outcomes; average birth weight and head circumference (p < 0.05) and admission to NICU (p < 0.05) between the two groups by t test. Conclusion: Comprehensive outpatient buprenorphine tapering can be done in OUD pregnancy with improved neonatal outcomes.