A Practical Approach to Neonatal Opiate Withdrawal Syndrome

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.