Buprenorphine for opioid use disorders: Use in pregnancy and outcomes

Opioid use disorders in pregnant women carry significant health risks for the mother and baby. Buprenorphine has emerged as an alternative treatment for opioid use disorders besides the traditional methadone therapy. However, there is limited research evidence on the effectiveness and safety of buprenorphine when used in pregnancy. This PhD study will investigate the trajectory of the use of buprenorphine in pregnant women, and the risk of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes associated with exposure to buprenorphine in the perinatal period. The study will leverage the record linkage across multiple real-world population-based data collections including births, medicine authorisations and dispensings, hospital admissions, and mortality. 

Primary Supervisor: Dr Duong (Danielle) Tran
Joint Supervisor: Dr Alys Havard

Candidate requirements:

• Masters or Honours in public health, epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, biostatistics or a related field
• Strong skills in data management and quantitative data analysis, with experience using linked data highly regarded
• Track record of publication of peer-reviewed scientific articles
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organisational and interpersonal skills

How to Apply

For more information about this project please contact Dr Duong (Danielle) Tran Danielle.Tran@unsw.edu.au