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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

Lori A. Devlin
1   Department of Pediatrics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky
,
Jonathan M. Davis
2   Department of Pediatrics, The Floating Hospital at Tufts Medical Center and the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

29 September 2017

29 September 2017

Publication Date:
03 November 2017 (online)

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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
 

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