About Methadone and Buprenorphine - Drug Policy Alliance

Methadone & Women (cont.)If you are pregnant, be sure totalk with your doctor, because:• When you’re pregnant, your bodymetabolism changes, so you mayneed to adjust your dosage. Youmay need to increase your dose ofmethadone, or split your dose andtake smaller amounts two or threetimes a day.You may have heard that your babywill be born addicted to methadoneor will suffer other side effects, buthere are the facts:• Methadone does not cause fetalabnormalities. No harmful effectsto a fetus have been found in thestudy of methadone’s effect onpregnancy.• Premature birth and low birth weightcan be associated with cigarettesmoking and/or poor nutrition andare not attributed to methadone.• Babies born to mothers dependenton methadone will have methadonein their systems, but studies showthat the children can be weanedsuccessfully and safely with noadverse effects.You may have heard that youshouldn’t breast-feed your baby ifyou are taking methadone, but hereare the facts:• Breast-feeding is now consideredsafe for the babies of women who aretaking methadone, but not safe forwomen who are HIV positive.• Small amounts of methadone inbreast milk can pass to the baby.• Methadone levels in breast milk arevery low.20 About Methadone and Buprenorphine