Contributions of Psychology to Research, Treatment, and Care of Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorder

The number of women with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States has risen precipitously. Pregnant women with OUD are a particularly vulnerable subset of addicted women with unique characteristics and needs. Many of them are impoverished, have strenuous life circumstances, are affected by past and current trauma, and have high rates of psychiatric comorbidities. Their addiction can compromise their and their infant's health, particularly without sufficient treatment including prenatal care, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), and social and behavioral care. Furthermore, these women's needs are often undetected and untreated: They may not seek appropriate prenatal and addiction care, or if they do, may face barriers to comprehensive, evidence-based treatment. Theories, methods, tools, and existing knowledge from the field of psychology are needed to improve research, prevention, and treatment for pregnant women with OUD. Although a number of psychologists have made critical contributions to research on pregnant women with OUD, we demonstrate by a scoping review of scientific literature and by examining American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention proceedings that much research on this population has been communicated in areas and journals outside psychology and among audiences other than psychologists. We identify relevant theoretical frameworks and methods to facilitate psychological investigation as well as evidence-based intervention and care for this population. Our field is well positioned to examine, identify, and alleviate the needs of pregnant women with OUD to improve their health and the health of their children.