A Program for Pregnant Women Electing Inpatient Opioid Detoxification

As a result of the current epidemic of opioid abuse in the Unites States there has been an increase in maternal opioid dependence and treatment with synthetic opioids, namely methadone or buprenorphine. Over one-half of the neonates with in utero exposure to regular maternal opioid use experience neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Presently, it is estimated that one newborn is born with NAS every hour and these neonates stay in the hospital for an average of 16.4 days compared with 3.3 days for those without NAS. The increased length of stay and complications that infants with NAS experience, such as increased rates of prematurity, low birth weight, respiratory problems, and seizures, elevate health care expenditures. The need for an inexpensive and effective treatment for NAS is crucial but more importantly, a strategy to prevent NAS is preferable. Detoxification among a select group of opioid-dependent pregnant women to prevent NAS warrants consideration and further exploration.