Predicting Maternal-Fetal Disposition of Fentanyl Following Intravenous and Epidural Administration Using Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling

Fentanyl is an opioid analgesic used to treat obstetrical pain in parturient women through epidural or intravenous route, and unfortunately can also be abused by pregnant women. Fentanyl is known to cross the placental barrier, but how the route of administration and time after dosing affects maternal-fetal disposition kinetics at different stages of pregnancy is not well characterized. To address this knowledge gap, we developed a...