Methadone Maintenance & Pregnancy

Dear Let’s Talk About It,

I have been on methadone maintenance for six 1/2 years and have found it very helpful in my recovery from heroin/morphine.  My life is back on track; I am married and have a good job. However, I am now pregnant. If I decide to stop taking Methadone, I’m worried I may relapse but I am also worried that the Methadone is not good for my unborn child. What do you think is the safest decision? D.M.

First and foremost, this is a great question to bring up with your doctor and treatment specialists since they know you and your history best. To answer your question from my view, I think the central theme here is whether methadone maintenance during pregnancy is safer than relapse to heroin/morphine use? I would say YES. Methadone maintenance has been around since the 1960’s and, although controversial, is considered one of the most effective treatments for opiate addiction. Methadone is a synthetic narcotic that blocks heroin’s access to the brain, which helps eliminate drug cravings and symptoms of withdrawal. Relapsing and using heroin/morphine during your pregnancy has greater consequences such as; sharing needles which risks infection, unsupervised withdrawal symptoms that can lead to miscarriage or a variety of birth defects, reduced prenatal care, side-effects and potentially high-risk behavior. However, to be honest, methadone also has its risks such as; low birth weight, smaller than normal head size and withdrawal symptoms for the newborn. However, all of these risks are closely monitored to reduce any possible complications. Pregnant women have been treated with methadone for over 25 years and NIDA has reported that methadone maintenance while pregnant is "strongly advised" over any attempt to undergo opiate detox while pregnant. For more information on methadone maintenance and pregnancy, visit www.methadoneandpregnancy.com or www.samhsa.gov. For local support contact The Methadone Management Program in Kingston NY at (845) 943-6022.