Final answer:
Methadone and buprenorphine are the two drugs effective for treating opioid-dependent pregnant women. Methadone helps manage withdrawal symptoms, and buprenorphine alleviates symptoms of opiate withdrawal and is considered safe during pregnancy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two drugs that have been shown to be effective for use in treating opioid-dependant pregnant women are methadone and buprenorphine. While opioids like morphine and heroin have strong painkilling and potentially addictive qualities, methadone is a synthetic opioid that is less euphorigenic and is used to manage withdrawal symptoms in opioid-dependent individuals. Buprenorphine is another medication that can alleviate symptoms of opiate withdrawal and is considered safe for use in pregnant women, helping to reduce the risk of withdrawal in the newborn.
Other opioid antagonists, such as naloxone and naltrexone, are used in different contexts of opioid dependence treatment. Naloxone quickly reverses opioid overdose symptoms and is short-acting, while naltrexone is well absorbed orally, long-acting, and useful in narcotic treatment programs to maintain abstinence. However, naltrexone is not recommended for opioid-dependent pregnant women due to the lack of evidence in this specific population.