A Practical Approach to Neonatal Opiate Withdrawal Syndrome

Lori A. Devlin; Jonathan M. Davis

doi:10.1055/s-0037-1608630

American Journal of Perinatology, Table of Contents

Am J Perinatol 2018; 35(04): 324-330
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1608630

Review Article

Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

A Practical Approach to Neonatal Opiate Withdrawal Syndrome

Authors

Lori A. Devlin

¹Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
Jonathan M. Davis

²Department of Pediatrics, The Floating Hospital at Tufts Medical Center and the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts

Abstract

Perinatal opioid misuse and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) are a significant public health problem that has grown exponentially over the past decade. In the United States, a woman seeks emergency room care for prescription opioid misuse every 3 minutes and approximately every 25 minutes, a child is born with signs of drug withdrawal. The economic impact of perinatal opioid misuse is significant with annual hospital charges for NOWS in 2012 as $1.5 billion dollars. Perinatal opioid misuse is a complex, multifaceted problem that demands a multidisciplinary cross specialty approach. This article will review the current state of NOWS and provide medical practitioners with a practical guide to enhance evidence based practice.

Keywords

opioids - neonatal abstinence syndrome - substance abuse

Full Text

References

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