Maternal opioid prescriptions and subsequent risk of hospital admission in offspring in South Korea: A nationwide birth cohort study

A nationwide study in South Korea has found that mothers who were prescribed opioids during pregnancy have children with a significantly higher risk of hospital admission throughout their lives. The research, led by Hyeon Jin Kim and colleagues, examined over 5 million births between 2009 and 2017. Researchers analyzed data from the National Health Insurance Service to create a birth cohort, comparing children exposed to opioids in the womb with those who were not.

The study followed the children for up to 14 years, tracking hospital admissions for various conditions such as infections, respiratory issues, gastrointestinal problems, and more. Researchers used both propensity score-matched cohorts and sibling comparisons to control for factors like maternal age, birth season, and pre-existing health conditions.

After adjusting for these variables, they found that children born to mothers who received two or more opioid prescriptions during pregnancy had a 28% higher likelihood of hospital admission compared to those whose mothers did not use opioids during pregnancy. While the findings suggest a strong link between prenatal opioid exposure and increased hospitalization in offspring, the researchers acknowledge that familial factors may also play a role.

The study underscores the importance of monitoring and managing the healthcare needs of children born to mothers who have used opioids during pregnancy.