Postpartum Opioid Prescribing in Patients with Opioid Use Prior to Birth.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe opioid prescribing patterns for pregnant patients with a history of or active opioid use to inform postpartum pain management strategies. STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis of all patients with a history of opioid use disorder (OUD) or chronic pain seen at a single outpatient clinic specializing in opioid use and OUD in pregnancy from January 2019 to August 2021. Patient characteristics, delivery outcomes, and opioid prescribing information were collected through electronic health record fields. We used descriptive statistics to characterize differences in receipt of an opioid prescription, prescription size, and receipt of a prescription refill across three patient groups: patients with OUD on medication, patients with OUD maintaining abstinence, and patients with chronic pain using opioids. In the study period, the institutional average rate of opioid prescribing after cesarean and vaginal birth were 80.0 and 2.8%, respectively. RESULTS: Of the 69 patients included in this study, 46 (66.7%) had a history of OUD on medication, 14 (20.3%) had a history of OUD maintaining abstinence, and 9 (13.0%) had a history of chronic pain. Receipt of an opioid prescription after childbirth was more common after cesarean birth (12/23, 52.2%) than vaginal birth (3/46, 6.5%). Refills were common in patients who received an opioid proscription (cesarean: 5/12, 41.7%; vaginal: 1/3, 33.3%). CONCLUSION: Compared with institutional averages, postpartum opioid prescribing rates for people with a history of OUD or chronic pain were 50 to 60% lower for cesarean birth and three times higher for vaginal birth. Future work is needed to balance opioid stewardship and harm reduction with adequate pain control in these high-risk populations. KEY POINTS: · Opioid prescribing rates for patients with OUD/chronic pain were 60% lower for cesarean birth than institutional averages.. · Opioid prescribing rates for patients with OUD/chronic pain were three times higher for vaginal birth than institutional averages.. · Refill rates following birth were high overall for cesarean (40%) and vaginal (33%) birth.. · More work is needed to balance opioid prescribing with adequate pain control in high-risk patients..

Attitudes of Clinicians and Patient Safety Culture Before and After the ARRIVE Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the attitudes of intrapartum clinicians about elective induction of labor before and after A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management (ARRIVE) and to assess the effect of different attitudes on patient safety culture. DESIGN: Repeated cross-sectional design. SETTING: Online surveys. PARTICIPANTS: Clinicians (883 nurses and 201 physicians in the before-ARRIVE group and 1,741 nurses and 574 physicians in the after-ARRIVE group) who provided intrapartum care at 35 hospitals in California in 2017 and 57 hospitals in Michigan in 2020 and participated in statewide quality improvement efforts to reduce use of cesarean. METHODS: We used annual nulliparous, term, singleton, vertex cesarean rates to stratify hospitals into performance quartiles. We used cumulative proportional odds logistic regression to examine induction attitudes before and after ARRIVE by role and hospital performance quartile as well as induction attitudes and patient safety culture among clinicians. We used content analysis to examine qualitative data. RESULTS: After ARRIVE, physicians' attitudes shifted in favor of induction at hospitals within the top three performance categories (top quartile: M = 3.48 vs. 2.81, p < .0001), whereas nurses' attitudes did not change (p = .388). After ARRIVE, attitudes among clinicians were more aligned at hospitals with stronger patient safety cultures. Qualitative themes included The Timing of Induction is Important, Who Should Have Inductions, Need for Clear Protocols and More Staff, and Ideas to Improve the Induction of Labor Process. CONCLUSION: Physician attitudes about induction were significantly different before versus after ARRIVE, whereas nurse attitudes were not. Differences in attitudes may erode the quality of team-based care; intentional interdisciplinary engagement is essential when implementing ARRIVE findings.

A Qualitative Study Focused on Maternity Care Professionals' Perspectives on the Challenges of Providing Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Maternity care services were significantly altered with the start of the global pandemic in 2020, challenging the ways care was provided for families during childbirth. This qualitative analysis focuses on maternity care professionals' perceptions of the impact of COVID-19 on maternity care in Michigan early in the pandemic. The question "How has COVID-19 impacted your work?" was embedded into a survey focused on maternity unit culture in process across Michigan. Directed content analysis was applied to the open text responses to identify themes. From April-June 2020, 1071 surveys were completed by nurses, physicians, and midwives; 647 (60%) included responses to the COVID-19 question. Five themes emerged: (1) provider health; (2) patient care impact; (3) burdens of personal protective equipment; (4) decreased support during labor due to visitor restrictions; and (5) ethical challenges and moral distress between concerns for self and carrying out professional roles. Maternity care providers in Michigan experienced a range of complex challenges due to the pandemic, with many experiencing conflicts and questioning their role as a provider amid concerns of the effects of COVID-19 on themselves and their families. Resources are necessary to support providers who experience distress to promote well-being and retention of this essential workforce.