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Master of Public Health

The opioid epidemic and neonatal abstinence syndrome in the USA: a review of the continuum of care.

AUTHORS

Pryor JR , Maalouf FI , Krans EE , Schumacher RE , Cooper WO , Patrick SW , . Archives of disease in childhood. Fetal and neonatal edition. 2017 1 10; ().
  • NIHMSID: 9501297

ABSTRACT

As the prescription opioid epidemic grew in the USA, its impact extended to pregnant women and their infants. This review summarises how increasing rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome resulted in a need to improve care to pregnant women and opioid-exposed infants. We discuss the variations in care delivery with particular emphasis on screening at-risk mothers, scoring systems for neonatal drug withdrawal, type and duration of pharmacotherapy, and discharge safety.

As the prescription opioid epidemic grew in the USA, its impact extended to pregnant women and their infants. This review summarises how increasing rates of neonatal abstinence syndrome resulted in a need to improve care to pregnant women and opioid-exposed infants. We discuss the variations in care delivery with particular emphasis on screening at-risk mothers, scoring systems for neonatal drug withdrawal, type and duration of pharmacotherapy, and discharge safety.

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