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In unexpected findings New Zealand has one of the highest rates of prescribed opioid use during pregnancy, according to new research.
The data comes from a study led by the University of New South Wales, which tracked prescribed opioid use across 13 countries since the year 2000.
Of the countries - which included Australia, Canada, the US, Denmark and the UK - New Zealand had the third-highest rate.
Almost 8 per cent of pregnancies in New Zealand were exposed to an opioid, compared to only 4 per cent in Canada and 0.4 per cent in the UK.
Co-author of the research is Dr Sarah Donald, of the University of Otago.
