Cohort Study: Prenatal opioid exposure linked to modest increase in neuropsychiatric disorders – The BMJ

This nationwide birth cohort study from South Korea investigated the impact of prenatal opioid exposure on the risk of neuropsychiatric disorders among children. The study followed 3,128,571 infants born between 2010 and 2017 until the end of 2020. Researchers found that infants exposed to opioids prenatally showed a slightly increased risk of developing neuropsychiatric disorders, including mood disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and intellectual disability. The increased risk was more pronounced with higher opioid doses, longer duration of use, and exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, this association was not significant in sibling comparison cohorts, indicating a modest overall clinical impact. The study emphasizes the need for cautious interpretation due to its observational design and the specific conditions under which risk increases.

Reference (link to free full-text):

Jiseung Kang et al. (2024). Prenatal opioid exposure and subsequent risk of neuropsychiatric disorders in children: nationwide birth cohort study in South Korea. BMJ, 385, e077664. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-077664