Quality of life in pregnant substance dependent women undergoing opioid maintenance therapy

The evaluation of quality of life is a new research area in psychiatry. So far, no data are available for the high risk group of pregnant substance de pendent women undergoing standardized opioid maintenance therapy Fourty-thr ee pregnant women enroled in a structured multiprofessional treatment progr amme were standardized investigated with the Berliner-quality-of-life profi le. The women (15 were methadone maintained, 14 received slow-release morph ine and 14 sublingual buprenorphine during pregnancy) showed at time of del ivery a general satisfaction with their quality-of-life. However, the major ity scored very negatively in regard to their financial situation, whereas the relationship to their partners was perceived to be extremely positive. The multiprofessional treatment approach yielded to a significant reduction of their daily nicotine consumption (p > 0.05) as well as to healthy neona tes with a mean birth weight of 3024 gram. These results show that the mult iprofessional treatment model has a good acceptance in the target populatio n, yielded to a general satisfying life situation, however, focus needs to be addressed on psychosocial support.