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Subscribe to RSSThe number of babies born exposed to addictive drugs while in the womb is increasing, a new study suggests.
Between 2000 and 2009, the incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome — a disorder that occurs in babies exposed to illegal or prescription drugs during pregnancy — increased nearly threefold in the United States, the study found.
The rate of mothers using opiates such as heroin, morphine, codeine and Oxycontin at the time of delivery increased fivefold over that same period.
Neonatal abstinence syndrome most commonly occurs in newborns exposed to opiates while in the womb. The condition can bring increased irritability, tremors, seizures and respiratory distress.
During the study period, the average cost of treating babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) increased 35 percent, and the length of time these babies stayed at the hospital remained about the same (16 days, on average).
"The increasing incidence of NAS and its related health care expenditures call for increased public health measures to reduce" exposure to opiates before birth, the researchers write, in a paper published online today (April 30) in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In addition, standardizing the care these babies receive, and developing new treatments for the condition may better treat babies with NAS symptoms and reduce the length of their hospital stays, the researchers said.
Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System analyzed information from two national databases — one for children and one for adults — each containing information from about 7 million people released from the hospital.
Between 2000 and 2009, the rate of newborns diagnosed yearly with NAS increased from 1.20 per 1,000 births to 3.39 per 1,000 births. Also over this period, the number of mothers using or dependent on opiates increased from 1.19 per 1,000 births to 5.63 per 1,000 hospital births per year.
Average hospital charges for newborns diagnosed with NAS increased from $39,400 to $53,400, the researchers said.
In 2009, about 13,500 infants were diagnosed with NAS, an estimate that equates to about one infant born per hour with the condition.
Treating mothers who use opiates with a drug called buprenorphine may have advantages over the traditional treatment, which involves use of methadone, the researchers noted, pointing to a 2010 study that showed that newborns whose mothers were treated with buprenorphine required 89 percent less morphine, and spent 43 percent less time in the hospital.
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Mandatory sterilization of the criminal (mother) directly after birth.
snibbort: I was going to write a very passionate post but you cannot be topped. You have absolutely nailed it.
You missed the fact they should lose any rights to the baby too.
Remember, mandatory sterilization is very much against the religious values of some people. It is wrong to use birth control, it is wrong to use abortion, and is certainly wrong to use mandatory sterilization. There are those who argue that the proper responses to just say no. Rather than threaten mandatory sterilization there are people who simply argue that you teach people to practice abstinence. To just say no.
Perhaps we simply need to teach women addicts to earn money by ways other than prostitution .
And of course if it cost tens of thousands of dollars for these addicted babies to be in the hospital's and if the children have to be taken from their parents and other people paid to raise the children certainly that use of tax dollars, many people would argue, is vastly preferable to providing such women with contraceptives , abortions, and sterilizations .
Those who believe in contraceptives, and/or abortions, and/or sterilizations, will simply have to learn to accept their taxes being used to support the babies born due to legislation forbidding or restricting access to contraceptives, abortions, and sterilization .
Sorry you can't sterilize them, can't give them birth control, they can't get abortions so we just better get used to drug addicted babies being born to a mother that never wanted them in the first place. Thank you republicans for climbing into the reproductive rights of women because we are incapable of making our own informed decisions. The body count of these children will continue to rise.
Most of these women wouldn't bother to take birth control or get an abortion. The welfare they get helps them get more drugs. As of now and when the statistics were gathered both are still legal and available.
Here's a little newsflash for you TARA AND RUSSELL and anyone else who agrees with them. These are women who have no sense of responsiblity and don't have the ability to make good decisions in the first place. Birth control and abortions WERE available to these women and they CHOSE not to utilize those options. What imaginary world are you living in, hmmm?
Mandatory birth control implants for people convicted of drug offenses. Can we make a birth control implant for men, so that this mandate can apply to both sexes?
Castration? Too much? Naw.
Why stop at implants? How about irreversible procedures?
While we're at it - test all welfare, food stamp, medicare/medicaid,etc recipients for unprescribed meds. On drugs, no more social support.
Absolutely. Do you ever get the feeling that people running things are OK with drug use?
Birth control implants for convicted illegal drug users is an excellent idea. When they get clean if they get clean then the situation can be reevaluated. When someone is hooked on drugs they lose their right to become parents until they show they have more to offer a child than a drug induced nightmare and the option of children should be taken from them. If they dig the implant out then sterilize them.
Drug addicts are not in control of their lives and should not be allowed to pass their misery onto an innocent child.
Why not just abort the babies? Problem solved right? (yes, this is a troll)
The crildren of these mothers need to be taken out of the mother's home because, being born with a drug habit indicates that the child was subject to child abuse. The other children in that home also need to be removed from the influence of that mother.
My wife quit coffee when she was pregnant.
A lot of them are. Look at the rise in kids in foster care and the rise in the number of children requiring an I.E.P. In a lot of instances they go from one special program to another at the age of twenty one. Children requiring an I.E.P. can stay in public school until the age of twenty one. The schools get reimbursed from federal monies but still require a lot of resources from the schools. These reproducting females are not mothers. cost a lot of tax money but far worse is the life they program for the children.
Where are these people getting the money for these drugs? The rest of us are scraping by, where are they getting enough money for a habit?
You really don't wanna know : D
Scraping bottom perhaps?
Gee maybe prostitution. Because there are plenty of perverted sickos out there that are willing to pay for it while there wife of 20 years is at home asleep after cooking and cleaning for him and their children.
Unfortunately most states have very few and very weak laws against mothers who are drug suckers while pregnant. My wife is an NICU nurse who sees these "addicted" babies all the time. This article certainly minimizes the impact with a sugar coating.
A PU$$Y-FOOTED way of saying "newborn withdrawal symptoms".
Notice we are starting to see more and more articles concerning health issues lately. I wonder why ?
Oh, yeah......ObamaDoesNotCare is before the SCOTUS.
Expect to see more $$$$ going to health care programs IF the Democrats can ever get their budget to the Congressional floor.
I would much rather see my tax $$$ spent on health care for the citizens of this country than see it spent on war in oil producing countries.
I agree about the euphemism of the name. Hah, neonatal abstinence syndrome. Isn't neonatal abstinence a good thing, I mean, who wants they babies having sex?
isue - I have no problem with my tax dollars going to help the sick, the disabled, the elderly AND those who are doing every single thing they can to better themselves and support themselves and their children.
However, I strongly object to my tax dollars being used to support people who think it's perfectly fine to live off of the taxpayers and have no intentions of ever becoming independent, keep having kids they can't afford and make one poor decision after another. I expect people to pull their own weight and accept personal responsibility for their actions - and the unfortunate truth is the people who do are swiftly being outnumbered by the people who don't.
Since everything is being compared to race these days, I wounder what percent of those babies born with an addiction are black.
Depends on where you live. In my area it is 100% white.
Fail.
And you are perpetuating the habit of people comparing everything to race. There are no social problems that are exclusively black problems. There are poor problems, and a lot of black people who happen to be poor in this country.
I work in a methadone clinic that treats pregnant heroin addicted mothers. No one wakes up and says, "you know, today I'd like to become an injecting drug using prostitute." 75% of our women have been sexually and physically abused by adult men in their lives PRIOR to their addiction. We have a certain percentage whose "Fathers" (in name only) were the ones who first injected them- makes the victim that much more compliant.
We treat the whole person, get them stable, help them get out of the abusive cycle, get their GEDs, get off all of the other crap that they're taking and then AND ONLY then, when they're stable, we help them get off methadone. Buprenorphine does work well, too but the studies also indicate a higher incidence of relapse for mom.
And before anyone starts talking about birth control, believe me when I tell you that most of the women would love access to birth control. It's pretty hard to find these days.
We have had amazing success, but it all starts with compassion. Something most of the posters here seem to lack.
Furthermore, we're not even talking about the women with prescription drug problems. They don't come to my clinic in the poor side of town but the problem is as bad or worse.
You made me think of an interesting point. Why is it mandatory that a woman see a doctor every year or two for a papsmear so that their can get they b/c prescription? They aren't going to the doctor because they are worried about whats already in/on their vagina, they are worried about what might accidentally pop out! I understand that the idea is to promote healthiness down there, but come on, they're not going to shove a swab into my urethra if I want some Cialis are they?
the hate people are projecting these days!-no wonder wars are never ending now. they must live in such perfect little closed worlds with nothing better to do than pick on people who can't seem to help themselves for WHATEVER reason=mostly having to do with not getting enough Love and respect and a whole lot to do with being ignored or worse yet outright abused! many call our attitude 'bleeding heart' -i call it "trying to live what jesus taught". at this rate the cycle of ugly will NEVER end!-ken's wife-rant over.
Because there are 1000s of different birth control options (just talking about the hormonal options). Depending on the woman's particular health needs, one birth control type might be better than another birth control type. It's a matter of balancing the hormones properly to achieve contraception, minimize other symptoms the woman may have, and avoiding adverse effects. There are others that require placement by a physician (IUDs, implants). The different oral contraceptives require education on when to take it - when to start the package of pills, when to take the pill everyday (some require taking it at the same time everyday, others don't). Others require education on how to apply it (the patch works best when placed in certain areas, the rings need proper insertion by the user), etc., etc.
It's one of those things that is necessary for health and safety, but also introduces barriers to many women. We need to work on making access to the physician easier so that women can get the contraception they need safely.
jmh114: Thank you for working with addicts. You do great work with them.
Summer,
As far as I know, from working in a pharmacy for many years, most doctors just prescribe b/c pills based on either weight, doctors preference, or the request of the patient. My wife has been prescribed a different b/c by every doctor she has ever seen. Every time she just requests what she has always taken, the doctor always obliges, and I have never heard her, nor any other woman for that matter, speak of any testing other than a pap that is required for a prescription. Maybe there are exceptions, but I am just saying that I have never heard of them from the women I have dealt with.
hubba: Yes, doctors those factors when deciding what pill to use. What I am talking about when it comes to which pill to use, isn't about brand. It's about the dosages, if they are progesterone only or combination pills - which of those to use is based on patient symptoms. I also never said other testing (other than a pap) was required to obtain contraception. The physician takes a history about menstrual cycles, how heavy they are, are they regular/irregular, what other symptoms they have, etc., etc. help the physician determine which pill is best for the woman.
Summer,
I think that the type of methodology that you talked about which actually takes into account the woman is generally not used. I think that most doctors just prescribe what they are used to, or very often, what the insurance will cover. The end result is that the woman gets a pill, whether it is the best pill for her is probably not as likely as whether it is a pill that works.
hubba: Every ob/gyn I know (and I've worked with a lot of them and it's what I'm planning on doing my residency in) DOES use this reasoning. The patient may not always be aware of it, but the questions they has when taking a history DO actually impact which pill they prescribe for her. Yes, they all have top choices of each category of pill - and if a woman needs a mini-pill (vs a combination pill), they will often prescribe the same mini-pill - but, determining if the woman needs a mini-pill, combination pill, patch, injection, etc., etc. is done via history and physical, with the history playing the largest role in determining which pill is right.
There are increased risk of side effects when the woman isn't on the right pill for them, and some of those side effects can be very bad. Which, is why they require a doctor's appointment to obtain most contraception. Of course, that ties back to the issue at hand - how to make contraception more available so that women who need/want it (and in terms of this article, drug addicts). In women that are drug addicts or women who have mental health issues, a physician might encourage a depo provera shot - that way the woman doesn't need to comply to a daily schedule of taking the pill. But, the draw back, the woman needs to come in every 3 months for the shot, also, they can only be on it for a couple of years before they have to switch to a different form of birth control. (Being on depo for extended periods has increased risk of certain cancers). So, how do we encourage these women to come back every 3 months for their shot, and how do we make sure they can afford it? Same with other forms of contraception - just they don't need to come in every three months.
The United States leads the world in forced sterilizations and since drug abuse is only a matter of a prescription or what drug is or is not on the gov accepted list...why not just keep the status quo and stop pretending we give a $%^& about the poor...I mean come on you most of you know how easy it is to take a pill before bed and talk about the people with real drug problems...not you though its just something to help you relax...
Sounds like there are a lot of mom's out there who are suffering from fibromyalgia. "I needs the oxy 80's, my back, I mean my arm, is killing me!!"
I just found out that my body [and brain] was addicted to xanax,that I used for 3 years to sleep,I tried going off of it,because I wasn't feeling right and it proved to be quite difficult,I am currently weining myself off,but am having a really hard time sleeping,good thing,that I am 62,so I don't have to worry about having babies,just saying,some of these prescrition drugs can be pretty horrible.
Sorry, spellers,I meant prescription.
And weaning. Just being sarcastic about the spelling though, hopefully you are able to overcome your troubles. Try Ambien maybe, or as a non-prescription, valerian root and/or melatonin. (or you could just use my method and use lots of alcohol to go to sleep :), just kidding again, that's not recommended.)
Did you ever stop to think where are all those Mexican cartel drugs are going???
Probably not to these mothers. My perception is that they deal mostly with marijuana, cocaine, and meth. Maybe I am mistaken though.
And yet every day some deadbeat kid on the subway asks me if I want to sign a petition to legalize pot. Sad. If only that much effort was expended trying to keep people from starting down the path of relying on drugs to control their emotions.
Take a pill. Much, much EASIER! HA! What a crock. Mix your orange juice and drink up. CHEERS!!! What a way to have fun. What is your hangover remedy. Everyone wants to know! OH? You don't drink?? Two sides to every story. Open YOUR mind!
What point were you going for there? Your argument was too abstract to make sense to me.
No one is sterilizing parents who's kids are born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Eugenics is NOT the answer to a medical sickness. Doctors prescribe these opiates as routine without the instruction on how to STOP. The feeling of withdrawl over rides any rational thought. A study should be made to determine the dosage that step down until the need was overcome. That was the method worked for me, even with cigarettes. Facist solutions are evil. People are not to be treated as cattle.
Thanks hubba,I will try some of those.I actually had to go to detox to help me with the withdrawls,like I said some of these Dr. prescriptions can be deadly.
Sorry I don't have a lot of compassion for addicts, turned prostitutes. Whatever the reason they made a choice it was there choice to take the drugs. Many people are physically, mentally or sexually abused and they do not become addicts. I feel compassion for the children who are born to these women. They will live with the effects of their birth-mother's addiction all of their lives, these drugs kill the babies brain cells-much of the damage can never be fixed. I see the results of it at work everyday as a special education teacher. SO these women should be charged with abuse and loose custody until they are clean and then they should be monitored for drug use for years afterwards. The same needs to be true for alcohol as well.
TJ-
Do you feel compassion for the woman down the street in the gated community who is addicted to vicodin or oxycontin (the Rush Limbaugh drug)? Because they're no different except the gated community addict will more likely be arrested for DUI than prostitution.
Think about it. How about this little factoid just learned at the AATOD convention last week- 1/10 high school seniors have admitted to using prescription drugs for non-medical reasons (aka- to get high). Extrapolate those numbers and you will see why we have a skyrocketing number of teens and young adults (the SAME people who are child-bearing age!!) becoming addicted to medications. It also doesn't help that developmentally, their brains aren't fully formed. The frontal lobe develops last. (you know, the part that actually makes reasoned decisions)
All we in the field ask is for a little bit of understanding while we deal with a problem that no one wants to face except to complain about it.
If you all were really smart, you'd invest in some of the for-profit treatment centers because they're certainly not going to run out of clients until Americans stop getting pills for everything that's wrong with us.
End of daily rant.
No I don't feel any compassion for them either. Addiction starts out as a choice whether it is a high school senior, a street walker or a rich socialite. You deal with the problem, so do I as I try to teach the children whose brains are permanently effected by mom's addiction. SO all of these women should be charged with abuse and loose custody until they are clean and then they should be monitored for drug use for years afterwards. The same needs to be true for alcohol as well.
All I can say is wow, how terribly sad for that new life to begin his/her journey that way. This article was very disturbing. The extraordinary increase in the numbers is just incredibly jarring. The prescription drug problem is out of control in America. A three fold increase in neonatal abstinence syndrome in just 9 years. A five fold increase in mothers under the influence of opiates at time of delivery. Are we really at this place in our society where it's gotten this bad? i dont' really know how bad these opiates destroy one's body, mind and soul nor do know what the long term affect is on babies born to women who abuse opiates. But the stats are worth taking to heart. If we have that many people out there taking opiates to escape life and reality, I've got to say, I am worried about what things will be like going forward.
Poor little babies. I hope they don't grow up to be dysfunctional, life haters and follow the same path as their birth moms.
This article barely hits the tip of the iceburg. Sorry for the cliche.
What about babies exposed inutero/addicted to methamphetamines? And nicotine? And marijuana? And a combination of meth and nicotine?
The article talks about the cost of the babies hospital stays.. but doesn't mention the doctors, therapy, evaluations, assessments, time, and energy spent by the family OVER MANY YEARS trying to help their child.
And don't forget that adorable, sweet baby grows up and life, more often than not, LIFE is not easy for that child or her family. And then add more chidlren and multiply that difficult life by, I don't know, say 4?
Maybe it's different now, but 12 years ago when we adopted our first baby, we were handed our 2 week old baby and said she may have some behavioral and learning differences as she got older. We weren't given any training on how parent our child, or what to expect. It's been learn as we go for us. And we've learned a lot from neurophychologists, doctors, books, and therapies. There is much more than behavioral and learning differences. We have to parent differently. Our kids learn differently. They react differently. They are intense children and a lot of work. But, we love them and they have sweet hearts.
But, being exposed inutero is not something they have grown out of. It is not just a baby born with withdrawal and then everything is fine once the drug is out of their system. Everything is NOT fine. They are not the same socially, emotionally, academically, and probably even physically as children that were protected and cared for while they formed inutero. It is very unfair to them. They (and we) have to work so much harder. And it probably looks like we and they aren't trying at all sometimes.
I think that the drug resistance programs were a real bargin compared to the alternatives.' Seem if alot of smart people got together they could find ways of bring them back. Maybe its not a solution but; its better then doing nothing.
Whoa whoa whoa. I see a lot of people here who are entirely too quick to judge. So much negativity and hatred towards these women! Now I agree that these children do not deserve to bare this pain in any way, but obviously no one here has struggled with the misery and desolation of addiction. Most addictions are happening to teenage girls and middle aged, middle class women for prescription painkillers. Some will move onto harder drugs such as heroin, and others will seek out prescription drugs illegally. Often drug decisions and addiction decisions are poor ones, and many women will end up abused. The ones who end up pregnant (and a significant portion of any females are likely to get pregnant no matter what. Sex is a fact of nature.) most times don't have a way to find help, and going to the doctor frequently results in arrest. Lying in jail going through withdrawal is extremely painful and stressful on the body, and the stress on the fetus is almost (almost) worse than the trauma of being dependent on drugs to begin with.
None of these women want to have a baby addicted to drugs. Our society as a whole needs to recognize the nature of man to seek out illicit and pleasurable experiences and legalize drugs. The taxes and revenue gained would be more than enough to treat addiction at the root. The pharmaceutics industry is at fault for manufacturing addiction on the other side of non-plant based drugs.
Before you judge, put yourself in their shoes and do some research. Often times these women are trapped and need help. Addiction is a cruel, cruel existence.