subutex/pregnancy

[vannah0925]

I have been on subutex therapy along with counseling for three years , this is a lifetime maintence program. I am a week and a half away from due date, first due date was the 14 of march which is tomorrow. I have heard of lots of stories about this medication and have heard good things. My doctors office has not had 1 pregnant woman whom has given birth to a baby with any withdrawl . I have also read a lot on this topic, Doctors are down right negative about this medication most see subutex, or suboxone as the same as methadone and it is in no way the same. subutex does not make you feel high, you function normally while on it. methadone is a completely different drug, it has no celing affect meaning the more you take the higher you get.anyways if there are any women out there that is in same situation, on subutex and pregnant or has given birth while on this medication, id like to know your experience. I did not know i was pregnant until month 5, i could not stop the medication, it was against all medical advice, the withdrawl would more than likely have caused me to lose my baby,I tried tapering down also but it made me very sick, and was in a lot of pain, so it is what it is. please do not repsond if you are against this medication and if you have no knowledge about it. I am only asking of other mothers who has been through the same situation,please? also not saying a thing bad about methadone, so just know im not 1 to judge ,whatever works for you then thats the right thing to do in my eyes thanks

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

It is entirely possible to have a baby while on Subutex, but if you are on  very high dose of Subutex  there is a likelihood that the baby may experience withdrawals, especially if you do not breastfeed.  
Withdrawals from Subutex are very unpleasant and may keep your baby in the NICU and away from your loving arms for many days.
I suggest that you read my blog on pregnancy and addiction that talks more about it. Click on my name in blue and than "blogs".  
Good luck to you and make sure you discuss all of this with your OB. If your OB is unfamiliar with Subutex, please make sure that you go to a hospital where the pediatricians are familiar with how to treat a baby such a yours.  They must be in the loop on all your medical care. If you choose to breastfeed, your baby should not have any problems, as there will be enough drug in your breast milk to prevent withdrawals.  There is no risk of respiratory depression while babies nurse as it has been done many times. The baby will wean off of Subutex as it wean off the breast.  Good luck to both of you.

[jenbh32]

I am only 16 weeks pregnant but also on subutex. I am so scared! Everything I've read online about giving birth while on this med is a horror story. I did not plan to become pregnant while on this medication but was told id be safe so seeing all these horror stories just make me feel so sick. i agree with u tho, this medicine is not like methadone & frankly i believe it saved my life! like my Dr said it is better to be on this med while pregnant than taking pain pills. good luck to u & pray your labor goes well & baby is healthy!! hope you'll be able to update us

[MamaTo2Boys]

I am in a similar situation, I am due July 2nd and after being told for the past several months that I would be able to labor in the way my body tells me to, and that I would not be stuck in a bed the whole time, I'd be able to use the birthing tub, etc. I am now being told that's not true. I am going to have to be on a monitor the entire time and not be able to labor in the tub at all because they don't have any portable or waterproof EFM's... I am stressed about this and am seriously considering not going to the hospital, although I know that I will go because it's safer for my situation. If I were not on this medication, I might not go, but I want my child to be okay so I will go. I feel as though, from what I have been told, that it's not that it's unsafe for me to not be monitored, that it's simply a matter of being afraid of malpractice. I have tried unsuccessfully to find information online about whether I truly "need" to be continuously monitored, or whether being checked every 15 minutes (or however often) would be sufficient. I have had a baby before who is now 9 (I was clean then) and he was perfectly fine until they stuck me in a bed and wouldn't let me move, at that point, he became "stressed" and they wanted to do a C-section but I refused knowing that he was only stressed because I was stressed. I know that being stuck in a bed like that is going to give this baby the same reaction, if not worse because this one has medication to deal with as well. I am new to this site so I was not sure how to make my own question and have you see it, or how to write just to you. I just figured I would put your name in the "to" box because you seem to know at least something about this medicine. I am very interested in finding information on Subutex during labor/delivery that is not from moms, but from dr's who have been there and/or studies. I have looked at all the studies I can find and am confident that due to my situation and breastfeeding afterward that my baby will have a 14% chance of having withdrawals that require medication as I have seen in the studies as I have been on Subutex since conception and a steady dose with NO other medications/drugs whatsoever. I am confident that after birth, my child will be fine but I am not confident that the labor is going to be a good experience and I need it to be this time. I am trying to do an unmedicated birth by using Hypnobirthing but will use medication if absolutely necessary, and part of that necessity is if I am stuck in a bed. I didn't need medicine last time until they put me in a bed and freaked out if I even moved my hips a little so I could get more comfortable. I want to know if I can refuse to be continuously monitored and stuck in a bed without a huge risk to the baby? I feel like the baby will be less stressed, if I can move and react in ways that my body tells me to, than if I just get stuck there because they are afraid. Anyway, if you can offer any help, I would sincerely appreciate it.