New National Dashboard Sheds Light on Perinatal Opioid Exposure in Canada

A new national data resource will help Canada better understand the impact of opioid use during and after pregnancy.

The Canadian Perinatal Opioid Project (CPOP) has launched the country’s first health data dashboard dedicated to perinatal opioid exposure. Designed as part of a broader effort to build a national public health surveillance system, the project examines opioid exposure among mother–infant pairs and explores associated impacts on maternal and child health across Canada.

The CPOP dashboard was created to increase awareness of this important public health issue, address longstanding information gaps, and improve access to timely, meaningful data. By bringing together national insights in one accessible platform, the dashboard supports clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and health system planners in better understanding trends and outcomes related to opioid use in the perinatal period.

Importantly, this initiative was developed in collaboration with people who have lived and living experience. Individuals generously shared their experiences of opioid use, pregnancy, and parenting — ensuring that the data reflects not just numbers, but real lives and real stories.

Information generated through CPOP can help inform policies, programs, and supports aimed at improving the health and well-being of pregnant people, parents who take opioids, and their children.