Suboxone & Pregnancy: My Experience

I was on Suboxone for 9 years. At first, my doctor prescribed an 8 mg sublingual strip twice a day. Four years into my Suboxone journey, he suggested that I start to taper off and cut my dose half. I found out I was pregnant with my second son during this time, and I stopped tapering off Suboxone completely.

People informed me that tapering off certain medications while pregnant can result in miscarriage. I was so nervous because I kept hearing contradicting evidence of how Suboxone will affect the pregnancy and the child.

I made sure to inform my OBGYN and my Suboxone doctor immediately that I was pregnant and had been taking Suboxone every day for the past 4 years. Both of my doctors were extremely supportive and understanding of my past. It's important to find the right doctors during this journey of recovery, especially if you're pregnant or looking to become pregnant.

The first and second trimester

My first and second trimester went as well as any pregnancy could. I had extra scans and appointments since I was considered "high risk" due to being on Suboxone. I felt more confident during this time because both of my doctors reassured me that the risk of having complications was low if the mother is on a stable dose. Not to mention, all of my scans and tests continued to show positive and “normal” results.

A small hiccup during pregnancy

At around 35 weeks, we noticed my son was in breech, so we weighed out our options. I could schedule a cesarean section or external cephalic version (ECV), since by OBGYN specialized in it.

My husband and I decided on ECV, so they gave me an epidural and a muscle relaxer for my uterus. My doctor was successful at externally rotating my son. However, within the hour, he had spun himself back around and was head up again! That day, I continued my normal dose of Suboxone and all medication my doctor administered worked well.

After my ECV, we decided to schedule the cesarean section. Even though my ECV wasn't too painful, it was hard on my body and wasn't guaranteed to work again.

The day my son arrived

At 39 weeks, I went in for my C-section. I was told by my OBGYN, Suboxone doctor, and anesthesiologist not to take my daily dose of Suboxone the day of surgery just in case they need to administer medication that could interact with it.

On September 10, 2018, my beautiful son was born, but my anxiety was still high. I wanted to know how he was doing—if he had any Suboxone in his system or if he had any type of withdrawal symptoms.

The wave of relief I felt when they told me he was happy, healthy, free of any drugs in his system, and not showing any signs of withdrawal was overwhelming. I was so grateful to hear the news and hold my son in my arms. We were able to leave the hospital together 2 days later and start our new routine.

No regrets taking Suboxone during pregnancy

My son is now 6 years old and excelling in school. He is smart, funny, and kind. I have not noticed any delays or issues with his development. He will be starting first grade next year, and his school called me just last week asking if they can test him for their gifted program.

I am incredibly thankful and relieved that there have not been any long-term effects of taking Suboxone while I was pregnant. My experience with Suboxone during pregnancy was extremely positive. I hope that by sharing my experience with other people who are pregnant and taking Suboxone, my story will help ease any troubling thoughts.

I encourage you to be honest and upfront with your doctors and report to them any abnormalities during your journey.