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More than a third of reproductive-aged women
enrolled in Medicaid, and more than a quarter of
those with private insurance, filled a prescription
for an opioid pain medication each year during
2008-2012, according to a report in this week’s
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
Opioids are typically prescribed by health care
providers to treat moderate to severe pain. They are
also found in some prescription cough medications.
The most commonly prescribed opioids among both
groups of women were hydrocodone, codeine and
oxycodone.
“Taking opioid medications early in pregnancy can
cause birth defects and serious problems for the
infant and the mother,” said US CDC Director Tom
Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Many women of reproductive
age are taking these medicines and may not know they
are pregnant and therefore may be unknowingly
exposing their unborn child. That’s why it’s
critical for health care professionals to take a
thorough health assessment before prescribing these
medicines to women of reproductive age.”
CDC researchers analyzed 2008-2012 data from two
large health insurance claims datasets: one of women
aged 15-44 years with private insurance and another
of women in the same age group enrolled in Medicaid.
They found that, on average, 39 percent of
Medicaid-enrolled women filled an opioid
prescription from an outpatient pharmacy each year
compared to 28 percent of women with private health
insurance.
The higher opioid prescribing rates among Medicaid
enrollees might be due to differences in the
prescription medications covered under their health
insurance plan, differences in use of health care
services, or differences in the prevalence of
underlying health conditions among Medicaid
enrollees compared with persons covered by private
health insurance.
For more information
CDC -
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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