Hair Cortisol Concentrations in Opioid-Exposed versus Nonexposed Mother-Infant Dyads.

OBJECTIVE:  To pilot measurement of hair cortisol concentration (HCC) in pregnant women with opioid use disorder and their infants over time and study the potential utility of hair cortisol as a biomarker of chronic stress in this population.

STUDY DESIGN:  In this pilot prospective cohort study of mother-infant dyads with and without prenatal opioid exposure, we obtained mother-infant HCCs at delivery and again within 1 to 3 months' postpartum. HCCs were compared between the opioid and control groups and between the two time points.

RESULTS:  There were no significant differences between opioid and control group maternal or infant HCCs at either time point. However, within the opioid-exposed group, there was a significant increase in infant HCCs across the two time points.

CONCLUSION:  This pilot study describes our experience with the measurement of HCCs in opioid-exposed mother-infant dyads.

KEY POINTS: · Maternal stress impacts fetal and child health.. · Many stressors in pregnant women with opioid use disorder.. · Hair cortisol may be a useful stress biomarker..