- Overdose deaths skyrocketed from 4.9 per 100,000 in 2018 to 15.8 in 2021
- Social isolation during Covid, plus a lack of antenatal care, has been blamed
- READ MORE: Scientists develop a vaccine against COCAINE addiction
The number of overdose deaths among pregnant and postpartum women has tripled in the past three years, according to a new analysis of official data.
The overdose rate among women ages 35 to 44 increased from 4.9 per 100,000 in 2018 to 15.8 in 2021, according to data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Researchers from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) analyzed data on more than 17,000 deaths, including women who were pregnant or had been pregnant in the past year.
Many factors are believed to be at play in the increase in overdose deaths, including social isolation due to the Covid pandemic and a reduction in prenatal and postpartum care in the US.
Data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that the overdose rate among women aged 35 to 44 increased from 4.9 per 100,000 in 2018 to 15.8 in 2021.
Most pregnancy-related overdose deaths involved opioids, primarily fentanyl.
The majority also occurred outside the health care setting, suggesting that women need better support during and after pregnancy, especially for those vulnerable to substance abuse.
The researchers also found a significant increase in overdose deaths among pregnant or postpartum black women.
Chelsea Shover, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine, shared The Washington Post: ‘For many pregnant and postpartum people, disclosing drug use can lead to having your child taken away, so there is a lot of stigma.’
Pregnant women should be encouraged to seek treatment without fear of legal action, said Emily Einstein, chief of NIDA’s Science Policy Division and co-author of the study.
“Stigmatizing and punishing women with substance abuse makes it very difficult for them to seek help for drug use and receive routine prenatal care.
“Effective treatments and medical services exist – unfettered access is needed to help mothers and children survive,” she added.
Previous research has shown that women are less likely to get an appointment at an addiction care center and find it difficult to get childcare in treatment centers.
Many states can also punish women for substance abuse through fines, loss of custody of their children, and prison sentences.
The overall number of overdoses has risen sharply during the pandemic, for similar reasons of isolation and reduced access to treatment.
Figures show that nearly 10,000 Americans still die from drug overdoses every month.
An update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that there were as many as 109,940 drug overdose deaths in the year through February 2023, which the agency said was likely “an underestimate.”
That’s the equivalent of 9,161 deaths a month, which experts warned was crashing and burning almost every day like a plane full of Americans.
Fentanyl was the leading cause of death, accounting for about eight in 10 cases. It was followed by methamphetamines, cocaine and prescription opioids.
For more information about substance and mental health treatment programs in your area, call the toll-free and confidential National Helpline(link is external) 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit www.FindTreatment.gov(link is external) .