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Pregnancy Recovery Center

A women-centered treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder in Pittsburgh, PA

The Pregnancy Recovery Center (PRC), through the Magee-Women's Hospital, is an outpatient program offering pregnant women comprehensive care for opioid use disorder (OUD) with a goal of expanding the accessibility and availability of buprenorphine for this population.

Started in 2014, the PRC consists of ob/gyn physicians licensed to prescribe buprenorphine, a full-time nurse with addiction medicine training, and a full-time social worker. PRC provides office-based buprenorphine treatment and the following women-centered services to pregnant and postpartum women:

  • Prenatal and postpartum care
  • Housing and transportation assistance
  • Breastfeeding education and support
  • Parental skills training and childcare
  • Trauma-informed care
  • Family planning and behavioral health counseling (both individually and in a group setting)

Patients in the PRC receive comprehensive treatment and medicine throughout their pregnancy. In the postpartum period, patients are connected with a community provider to continue medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Infants born to mothers enrolled in the program remain with their mothers whenever possible.

PRC patients were significantly more likely to attend their postpartum visit.

Continuum of Care
Treatment
Type of Evidence
Peer-reviewed
Response Approach
Comprehensive services
Early Intervention
Educational
Family Support
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Peer-reviewed Article
The Pregnancy Recovery Center: A women-centered treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorder
Related Resources
A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorders
Recovery Coaches and Substance Exposed Births: An Experiment in Child Welfare
Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnant Women via Telemedicine: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial
State Options for Promoting Recovery among Pregnant and Parenting Women with Opioid or Substance Use Disorder
State Strategies to Address Opioid Use Disorder Among Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Infants Prenatally Exposed to Substances, Including Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
HRSA’S Home Visiting Program: Supporting Families Impacted by Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
The Ripple Effect: The Impact of the Opioid Epidemic on Children and Families
Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in the Child Welfare Context: Challenges and Opportunities
The Use of Peers and Recovery Specialists in Child Welfare Settings

Evidence of Program Effectiveness

A study published in 2018 found that PRC patients were significantly more likely to initiate buprenorphine during vs. prior to their pregnancy (81.4% vs. 44.2%) and have a higher buprenorphine dose at the time of delivery (16.0 mg vs. 14.1 mg) compared to non-PRC patients. Likewise, PRC patients were significantly more likely to attend their postpartum visit (67.9% vs. 52.6%), which can be a dangerous period for opioid-related overdose. Also, more likely to engage in long-term contraception and breastfeed their infant. Thus, incorporating women-centered services into OUD treatment with MOUD may improve gender-specific outcomes among women with OUD (Krans et al., 2018).