---
title: Extended-Release Buprenorphine Outperforms Daily Dosing for OUD in Pregnancy
description: Weekly dosing with extended-release buprenorphine may result in greater rates of abstinence than daily sublingual dosing in pregnant adults with opioid use disorder (OUD).
---

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# [Extended-Release Buprenorphine Outperforms Daily Dosing for OUD in Pregnancy](https://alert.psychnews.org/extended-release-buprenorphine-outperforms-daily-dosing-for-oud-in-pregnancy)

 Written by [Psychiatric News Alert](https://alert.psychnews.org/author/psychiatric-news-alert) | 3/17/26 7:05 PM

Weekly dosing with extended-release buprenorphine may result in greater rates of abstinence than daily sublingual dosing in pregnant adults with opioid use disorder (OUD), according to a [study](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2846277) in *JAMA Internal Medicine*.

 

**Why It’s Relevant**

Weekly, in-clinic dosing may address some of the disadvantages of daily take-home dosing, including the risk of diversion and misuse, poor adherence, and fluctuating medication levels that may not fully lessen opioid cravings and withdrawal, especially during pregnancy.

 

**By the Numbers**

- The researchers analyzed data from 140 adults (ages 18 to 41, six to 30 weeks pregnant) with OUD. Participants received either weekly injections of extended-release buprenorphine or daily sublingual buprenorphine tablets and/or buprenorphine/naloxone film. Participants had their urine screened weekly.
- Medication adherence was about 85% in both groups during pregnancy, but **abstinence from illicit opioids was higher in the extended-release group** compared to the sublingual group, **83% versus 73%**.
- Participants in the extended-release group experienced **fewer serious adverse events, such as initial or prolonged hospitalization**, than those given daily dosing, both during pregnancy (9% versus 27%, respectively) and twelve months postpartum (6% versus 19%, respectively).

**What’s More**

There was no significant difference in the number of infants who required opioid treatment for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome between the extended-release group (30%) and sublingual group (27%).

 

**The Other Side**

Most of the study participants were taking sublingual buprenorphine before they were randomized. Therefore, it’s not clear whether the findings apply to a more unstable population with OUD or to patients who are initiating buprenorphine.

 

**Takeaway Message**

“The superior illicit opioid abstinence observed in the extended-release buprenorphine group potentially is related to its pharmacokinetic advantages,” the researchers wrote. “These results support the use of weekly extended-release buprenorphine in pregnant individuals with OUD.”

 

**Related Information**

“[The Psychiatrist’s Role in Treating Perinatal Opioid Use Disorder and Reducing Maternal Mortality](https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.focus.20230018)”

 

**Source**

T. John Winhusen, et al. Extended-release vs sublingual buprenorphine in pregnancy through 12 months post partum: a randomized clinical trial. *JAMA Internal Medicine*. Published online March 16, 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2026.0057

 

(Image: Getty Images/iStock/Hailshadow)

 

[View full post](https://alert.psychnews.org/extended-release-buprenorphine-outperforms-daily-dosing-for-oud-in-pregnancy)

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