Taking medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (MOUD) during pregnancy can improve maternal and fetal outcomes, lowering risk of maternal overdose and preterm birth. Both buprenorphine and methadone are recommended MOUDs and are administered in different ways—methadone often requires daily clinic visits whereas buprenorphine can be prescribed. Studies comparing the two drugs, especially their long-term impact on neurodevelopmental outcomes for children, have been limited.
In a new study, lead author Sabine Friedrich, MD, a former member of the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics in the Mass General Brigham Department of Medicine, and colleagues examined nationwide data on neurodevelopmental outcomes for children with prenatal exposure to buprenorphine or methadone. They found no increased risk of long-term adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes associated with buprenorphine compared with methadone. The authors conclude that the findings should reassure providers and individuals who are considering the two treatment options during pregnancy.
Published in BMJ on April 15, 2026 | Read the paper: “Prenatal exposure to buprenorphine or methadone and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes: population based cohort study”
Journal
BMJ
Method of Research
Observational study
Subject of Research
People
Article Title
Prenatal exposure to buprenorphine or methadone and adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes: population based cohort study
Article Publication Date
15-Apr-2026
COI Statement
All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/disclosure-of-interest/ and declare: this work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes of Health; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. KFH reported being an investigator on grants to Brigham and Women’s Hospital from UCB, Takeda, and GSK outside the submitted work; LS reported receiving grants to Brigham and Women’s Hospital from GSK outside the submitted work; SH-D reported receiving personal fees from Roche, Vertex, and Biogen and grants to her institution from Takeda Pharmaceuticals, GSK, and UCB outside the submitted work; and YZ reports being an investigator on a research grant from Takeda and GSK to her institution for an unrelated study.