Program seeks Council approval for the initiative titled Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Longitudinal Study. The public health opioid epidemic has a significant effect on infants who were exposed prenatally to opioids. This is part of the larger NIH Helping to End Addiction Long Term or HEAL initiative research plan.
The incidence of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) has increased five-fold over the ten year period from 2004-2014. The proportion of neonatal hospital costs due to NOWs increased from 1.6 to 6.7% between 2004 and 2014. NOWs puts children at increased risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes complicated by family dysfunction. Infants who are exposed prenatally to opioids are a unique population with specific medical and social needs. If left unchecked, these adverse effects drive intergenerational vicious cycles of opioid use disorder. This initiative will recruit and retain over 2 years, a cohort of infants with in utero opioid exposure and a group of unexposed children.
The goal of this initiative is to establish and follow a cohort of newborns exposed to maternal opioids in utero. Infants will be recruited during the neonatal period, undergo medical assessment and have neuroimaging studies. They will be followed through 2 years of age and assessed for developmental, medical, behavioral and family outcomes. It is anticipated that the longitudinal data will inform care and future studies for these high risk infants. A comparison group of infants unexposed to prenatal opioids will also be obtained as part of the study.
This project aligns with the NICHD vision that “every person is born healthy and wanted” and “all children have the chance to achieve their full potential for healthy and productive lives.” This study will inform the potential effects of opioids and drugs used to treat mothers and their newborns.
Program Contact
Rosemary Higgins
Pregnancy and Perinatology Branch
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