Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 24, 2026

One-step Metabolomics: Carbohydrates, Organic and Amino Acids Quantified in a Single Procedure
09:28

One-step Metabolomics: Carbohydrates, Organic and Amino Acids Quantified in a Single Procedure

Published on: June 25, 2010

Routine meconium screening versus drug screening per physician order: detecting the true incidence of drug-exposed

D Zenewicz1, P J Kuhn

  • 1Columbia-Augusta Medical Center, GA, USA.

Pediatric Nursing
|March 23, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Widespread prenatal drug exposure is a concern. Universal meconium screening significantly increased detection rates, yet few mothers accepted rehabilitative services, emphasizing the need for prevention programs.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
  • Perinatal Substance Abuse
  • Public Health

Background:

  • National statistics show 11% of newborns exposed to drugs in utero.
  • Previous screening methods (physician's order via blood/urine) yielded low positive rates (0.2%).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effectiveness of universal meconium screening for in utero drug exposure.
  • To assess the uptake of rehabilitative services among mothers identified through screening.

Main Methods:

  • Implemented universal meconium screening for all newborns during July-November 1994.
  • Compared results with historical data using physician-ordered blood and urine screens (1993, 1995).

Main Results:

  • Universal meconium screening identified a 4.5% positive rate for in utero drug exposure.
  • This rate is significantly higher than the 0.2% detected via targeted screening.
  • Only 2 out of 22 mothers (9%) with positive screens accepted rehabilitative services.

Conclusions:

  • Universal meconium screening dramatically increases the detection of prenatal drug exposure.
  • Low uptake of rehabilitative services highlights a critical gap in maternal care.
  • Early educational programs focused on prevention are essential to address this public health issue.

More Related Videos

High-throughput and Comprehensive Drug Surveillance Using Multisegment Injection-Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry10:17

High-throughput and Comprehensive Drug Surveillance Using Multisegment Injection-Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry

Published on: April 23, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism01:24

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Metabolism

In pediatric care, understanding the nuances of hepatic drug metabolism is crucial, as it significantly differs from that of adults. This divergence is primarily due to the developmental stage of drug-metabolizing enzymes, which affects how medications are processed in the body. In neonates, for instance, the activity of Phase I enzymes—critical for the initial breakdown of drugs—is markedly reduced, functioning at just 20–40% of the levels seen in adults. This reduction poses a challenge in...
Drug Dosing: Infants and Children01:29

Drug Dosing: Infants and Children

Pediatric patient dosages diverge from adults due to disparities in body surface area, total body water, and extracellular fluid per kilogram of body weight. The dosing regimen considers the variations in pharmacokinetics and pharmacology across distinct age groups, encompassing preterm newborns, infants, young children, older children, and adolescents. Calculation of pediatric patient doses is predicated on determining body surface area, which exhibits a superior correlation with the child's...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption01:23

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption

Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...