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Review
. 2017 Mar;102(2):F183-F187.
doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2015-310045. Epub 2017 Jan 10.

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

Jason R Pryor  1   2 , Faouzi I Maalouf  1   2 , Elizabeth E Krans  3 , Robert E Schumacher  4 , William O Cooper  1   5   6 , Stephen W Patrick  1   2   5   6
Affiliations
Review

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

Jason R Pryor et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2017 Mar.

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.

Keywords: Drug Withdrawal; Neonatology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
US incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), 2000–2012.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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MeSH terms

Substances