Over the
past 20 years, the overall prevalence of fatal opioid overdose has tripled.
Historically, the risk of overdose among
men had been significantly higher; over the last decade, however prevalence of opioid
overdose deaths has been increasing faster among women than men. With the gender gap
decreasing, women now face a greater risk for opioid drug overdose than ever
before.
Women of all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds
are facing greater risk of overdose from opioid drugs. Recent data sheds light
on the role of pregnancy as one the possible channels for increasing opioid
dependence, which is a precursor to overdose. In the past, neonatal abstinence
syndrome had been documented primarily in underserved urban areas, it is
increasingly observed in hospitals across geographical and socioeconomic strata. However women who live in the South, Midwest
and the East appear to be at an elevated risk than those in the West of the
United States. Overdose is most common among middle aged
women (45-55 years old).
