Continuous Epidural Hydromorphone Infusion for Post-Cesarean Delivery Analgesia in a Patient on Methadone Maintenance Therapy: A Case Report

A Systematic Scoping Review of Peridelivery Pain Management for Pregnant People With Opioid Use Disorder: From the Society for Obstetric Anesthesia and Perinatology and Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine

The prevalence of pregnant people with opioid use disorder (OUD), including those receiving medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), is increasing. Challenges associated with pain management in people with OUD include tolerance, opioid-induced hyperalgesia, and risk for return to use. Yet, there are few evidence-based recommendations for pain management in the setting of pregnancy and the postpartum period, and many peripartum pain management studies exclude people with OUD. This scoping review summarized the available literature on peridelivery pain management in people with OUD, methodologies used, and identified specific areas of knowledge gaps. PubMed and Embase were comprehensively searched for publications in all languages on peripartum pain management among people with OUD, both treated with MOUD and untreated. Potential articles were screened by title, abstract, and full text. Data abstracted were descriptively analyzed to map available evidence and identify areas of limited or no evidence. A total of 994 publications were imported for screening on title, abstracts, and full text, yielding 84 publications identified for full review: 32 (38.1%) review articles, 14 (16.7%) retrospective studies, and 8 (9.5%) case reports. There were 5 randomized controlled trials. Most studies (64%) were published in perinatology (32; 38.1%) journals or anesthesiology (22; 26.2%) journals. Specific areas lacking trial or systematic review evidence include: (1) methods to optimize psychological and psychosocial comorbidities relevant to acute pain management around delivery; (2) alternative nonopioid and nonpharmacologic analgesia methods; (3) whether or not to use opioids for severe breakthrough pain and how best to prescribe and monitor its use after discharge; (4) monitoring for respiratory depression and sedation with coadministration of other analgesics; (5) optimal neuraxial analgesia dosing and adjuncts; and (6) benefits of abdominal wall blocks after cesarean delivery. No publications discussed naloxone coprescribing in the labor and delivery setting. We observed an increasing number of publications on peripartum pain management in pregnant people with OUD. However, existing published works are low on the pyramid of evidence (reviews, opinions, and retrospective studies), with a paucity of original research articles (<6%). Opinions are conflicting on the utility and disutility of various analgesic interventions. Studies generating high-quality evidence on this topic are needed to inform care for pregnant people with OUD. Specific research areas are identified, including utility and disutility of short-term opioid use for postpartum pain management, role of continuous wound infiltration and truncal nerve blocks, nonpharmacologic analgesia options, and the best methods to support psychosocial aspects of pain management.

Peripartum management for women with opioid dependence

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Opioid use disorder (OUD) in pregnancy has more than quadrupled in prevalence over the past two decades and continues to increase steadily every year. With no defined standard of care for the management of pain during the peripartum period, variability in treatment plans potentially leaves room for interrupted patient care, decreased patient satisfaction, and poorer outcomes. The impact of OUD and its management during the peripartum period has become more widely discussed over the past several years and is the focus of this review.

RECENT FINDINGS

Current recommendations including developing a detailed institutional plan for the management of pain for women with OUD during the intrapartum and postpartum periods. There is tremendous value in exploring partnerships with other specialties, including addiction medicine, and behavioral health and obstetrics in development of policies and procedures. Consistency within institutions is critical to improve patient outcomes.

SUMMARY

This review will address both pain management recommendations and best clinical practices regarding management of the parturient during the transition periods of the peripartum, intrapartum, and postpartum period. Novel approaches and perspectives from case reports and narrative experience will also be discussed. There are many opportunities in this field for further studies, research, and evidence-based guidelines that promote an established standard of care.