New Tulsa, Oklahoma Program Treats Addiction in Pregnancy

Pregnant women in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who are living with addiction no longer have to piece together medical appointments, treatment providers, and social services on their own.

Oklahoma State University Medicine has opened the OSU Maternal and Addiction Recovery Care Program, a distinctive new option among addiction treatment centers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the first in eastern Oklahoma to combine addiction medicine and prenatal care under one roof.

What the New Tulsa, Oklahoma Program Offers

The program pairs board-certified addiction medicine physicians with OB-GYN physicians to deliver integrated pregnancy care, addiction treatment, and wraparound support for pregnant and postpartum patients with opioid, alcohol, and other substance use disorders.

Patients can see doulas, lactation specialists, and pediatricians during pregnancy, and they can receive medications that treat opioid use disorder.

Referrals are welcome from OB-GYN providers, primary care physicians, emergency departments, behavioral health professionals, community organizations, and social service agencies.

The program opened its doors a few months ago and has already cared for 25 patients, said Dr. Erin Brown, chair of the obstetrics and gynecology department at OSU Medicine. Participants can be seen up to 12 months postpartum.

The George Kaiser Family Foundation committed $100,000 to launch the effort, and foundation senior program officer Kimberly Butler said it would be willing to grow that commitment depending on need. Organizers hope to expand beyond Tulsa, Oklahoma, through telehealth partnerships with rural hospitals.

Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols spoke at the launch event. “Our healthcare approach shouldn’t really require them to navigate a complicated system on their own,” he said, adding that resources should reach pregnant mothers before they are in a moment of crisis.

How Common Is Addiction During Pregnancy?

More common than many people expect, said Dr. Kelly Dunn, chief of addiction medicine at OSU Medicine.

About one in seven pregnant women met the criteria for a substance use disorder within the previous year between 2021 and 2023, and only one in ten women received treatment, according to a recent study cited in the KOSU report.

Mental health conditions were the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths in 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and substance use disorders were also a significant contributor.

“Those numbers represent women who deserve effective care and families whose futures we have an opportunity to change,” Dunn said.

Signs of addiction include using more of a substance than intended, experiencing cravings, and continuing to use even when it causes harm. During pregnancy, those signs call for prompt and compassionate medical attention, not judgment.

Legal Pressure Adds Stakes for Oklahoma Mothers

The program arrives in a state where pregnancy and substance use can carry legal risk. The nonprofit Pregnancy Justice found that Oklahoma prosecutors initiated at least 222 criminal cases related to individuals’ pregnancies and births from June 2022 to 2025.

Most of the nation’s 902 such cases involved allegations of substance use during pregnancy, and 854 of the 955 criminal charges brought against people required no proof of harm to the fetus or infant. Dr. Brown said she hopes the program will help Oklahoma Human Services view participants more favorably.

“Too many of these women go without the care they need, sometimes until they arrive at the hospital in labor,” Brown said. “But we have an opportunity to change that story.”

A statewide effort is also underway. The Oklahoma Perinatal Quality Improvement Collaborative recently launched the Oklahoma Maternal Addiction and Mental Health Assistance initiative to improve care for pregnant and postpartum patients across Oklahoma.

Finding Addiction Treatment Centers in Tulsa, Oklahoma

If you or someone you love needs help, Addictions.com lists verified addiction treatment centers in Tulsa, Oklahoma and across the state.

You can compare programs by the services they offer, including care for pregnant and postpartum patients, and find treatment that fits your situation. Call 800-681-1058 to learn more about treatment options near you.