Opioid agonist pharmacotherapy, also known as medication-assisted treatment (MAT), continues to be the recommended therapy for pregnant women with an opioid use disorder. However, in newly revised guidance, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) also recognizes that medically supervised withdrawal can be considered under the care of a physician experienced in perinatal addiction treatment and with informed consent if a woman does not accept MAT.
“While neonatal abstinence syndrome is often seen in infants who have been exposed prenatally to opioids, it is important to remember that it is an expected and treatable condition that has not been found to have any significant effect on cognitive development.”
ACOG Committee Guidance Document