A Scoping Review of Acupuncture as a Potential Intervention for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome

Abstract

Objective: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) has risen drastically over the past decade. Infants with NAS experience extreme discomfort and developmental delays when going into withdrawal. Management includes multiple supportive and nonpharmacologic therapies as first-line treatments in an effort to reduce or prevent the need for medication management. Acupuncture has demonstrated efficacy in adults experiencing withdrawal from addictions, as well as for treating many other conditions in pediatric patients who have similar symptoms to withdrawal. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of acupuncture for neonates in withdrawal. Materials and Methods: This review was guided by the Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework, and analysis was performed based on a social ecological model. The PRISMA [Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses] statement was used to organize selected publications, and a flow chart was created to display the search process. PubMed, EMBASE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Cochrane Databases were searched for relevant publications. Results: Acupuncture appears to be safe and effective for reducing withdrawal symptoms in infants, and, thus, should be considered as an additional nonpharmacologic treatment option for NAS.

Keywords: infant acupressure; infant acupuncture; neonatal abstinence syndrome; neonatal acupuncture; nonpharmacologic treatments; opioid withdrawal.

FIG. 1.

Social ecological model for neonatal abstinence syndrome management.

FIG. 2.

The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) flow diagram. CINAHL, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.