The number of newborn babies suffering with withdrawal from the painkillers or other substances their mothers used during pregnancy is rising. Since 1995, the number of babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) has multiplied ten-fold in Florida. The rate has tripled elsewhere in the United States, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The drugs a pregnant woman takes circulate in the bloodstream of her unborn child. This means the baby goes through withdrawal after birth. Infants with NAS have serious medical issues. Almost all-97%-must be admitted to an intensive care unit and may have a prolonged stay in the hospital. The average hospital stay is 26 days, but in some cases babies need to be kept in the hospital longer while social services investigates the mother or arranges for a foster home for the baby.
The problem of addicted babies became so bad in Florida that the state asked the CDC to help determine the extent of the. The most common problem drugs in these babies were narcotics such as oxycodone, morphine, or hydrocodone, the CDC said.
Symptoms of NAS, which are usually seen in the first two weeks of life, include seizures, fever, excessive crying, tremors, vomiting, and diarrhea. The babies recover slowly, over the course of a few weeks to a month or so. For some babies, treatment consists of keeping them in a quiet environment while they go through withdrawal, but most need to be treated with morphine or anticonvulsant drugs to prevent seizures and other withdrawal symptoms.
The CDC report concluded that there is a need for improved counseling and treatment for addicted or drug dependent women and that it should come before pregnancy or earlier in pregnancy. Only about 10% of the mothers had been referred for drug counseling or rehabilitation despite having tested positive for drugs.
The report is online at the CDC publication Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and can be read at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6408a3.htm?s_cid=mm6408a3_w.