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Neonatal abstinence syndrome and the gastrointestinal tract

Denise Maguire1, Maureen Gröer1

  • 1University of South Florida College of Nursing, 12901 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., MDC 22, Tampa, FL, United States.

Medical Hypotheses
|November 24, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Opioid exposure during pregnancy may negatively impact newborn gut microbiome development. This dysbiosis, or imbalance, could lead to long-term health issues for infants experiencing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS).

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal health
  • Microbiome research
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for newborn immunity and pathogen defense.
  • Infant dysbiosis is linked to long-term adverse health outcomes.
  • The impact of prenatal opioid exposure on the infant gut microbiome is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential link between prenatal opioid exposure and gut microbiome dysbiosis in newborns.
  • To hypothesize how opioid exposure and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) may affect infant microbiome development.

Main Methods:

  • This study is a hypothesis-driven investigation based on existing knowledge.
  • It considers infants exposed to mu opioid receptor agonists throughout gestation.
  • It examines the gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms associated with NAS.

Main Results:

  • The study hypothesizes that infants exposed to opioids in utero are at risk for gut dysbiosis.
  • Opioid exposure and NAS development are speculated to cause an imbalanced gut microbiome.

Conclusions:

  • Prenatal opioid exposure may disrupt the normal succession and development of the infant gut microbiome.
  • This disruption could have lasting negative impacts on the child's future health.

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