Co‐Locating Obstetrics and Addiction Medicine Clinics to Improve Attendance in Services for Pregnant People with Opioid Use Disorder

Abstract

Objective Pregnant people receiving treatment for opioid use disorders (OUD) are at significant risk of return to use during the postpartum period. Recently, practice groups and other national organizations have called for the co‐location of addiction medicine and obstetric care to reduce the burden on pregnant and postpartum people with OUD associated with engaging in treatment. This paper examines the effectiveness of co‐locating services in retaining pregnant people with OUD in care following childbirth. Methods A records review of pregnant people receiving medication for OUD between 2012 and 2017 in stand‐alone addiction medicine clinic (n = 23) and from 2017 to 2021 following the creation of an integrated addiction medicine‐obstetric care clinic (n = 67) was conducted to compared rates of attendance in both obstetric and addiction medicine services. Results Findings from this study suggest that individuals receiving services in a co‐located clinic had significantly fewer missed appointments during the postpartum period relative to individuals who sought care at separate addiction medicine and obstetric care clinics. Conclusions Results from this study support the potential for co‐locating clinics to reduce barriers to accessing obstetric and addiction medicine services, as well as support continued attendance in care across a vulnerable period.