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Opiate dependence and pregnancy: 20-year follow-up study

Drug Treatment Centre Board, Trinity Court, 30–31 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, Ireland, email: mariewhitty2{at}eircom.net

John O’Connor

Drug Treatment Centre Board, Dublin, Ireland

Declaration of interest

None.

AIMS AND METHOD

This study examined the 20-year outcome of 55 women who were pregnant and using opiates in 1985 and were attending the Drug Treatment Centre and Advisory Board, Dublin. We established outcome across a number of variables, including mortality, psychiatric and physical morbidity, psychosocial functioning, ongoing drug misuse and outcome of offspring.

RESULTS

At 20-year follow-up 29 women (53%) were deceased. HIV was the commonest cause of death, accounting for 17 deaths (59%). Those who were alive at follow-up displayed high rates of unemployment (84%), illicit substance misuse (74%) and most were dependent on state-subsidised accommodation (78%).

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Mortality was higher in our group compared with other long-term follow-up samples. These findings suggest that such participants and their offspring require intensive long-term support and treatment.