Opioid-related overdose and mortality among pregnant and postpartum individuals in New Jersey

Opioid overdose is an important contributor to the high maternal mortality rate in New Jersey. Although non-fatal opioid overdose events are more common than fatalities, the overall burden of opioid overdose during pregnancy and the year postpartum has not been studied in New Jersey. To fully understand the impact of the opioid epidemic on pregnant and postpartum individuals, it is necessary to study both fatal and non-fatal opioid overdose events. Using the comprehensive, state-wide linked birth certificate, hospital discharge, and death certificate data, it is possible to report on opioid overdose incidence and risk factors during the vulnerable pregnancy and postpartum periods. This project will identify trends over time and across demographics and health status, with important implications for informing the development of new interventions to target the most at-risk groups for pregnancy-associated opioid overdose in the state. Additionally, this unique data linkage can be used to understand other adverse postpartum outcomes among individuals with opioid use disorder in comparison to those without, in order to understand the full burden of adverse events and postpartum mortality in this population.