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Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome In The United States, 2004-16

Ashley A Leech1, William O Cooper2, Elizabeth McNeer3

  • 1Ashley A. Leech ( ashley. leech@vanderbilt. edu ) is an assistant professor of health policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and faculty member of the Vanderbilt Center for Child Health Policy, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, in Nashville, Tennessee.

Health Affairs (Project Hope)
|May 5, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Neonatal abstinence syndrome rates, after rising for 20 years, have plateaued since 2014. This suggests improved prevention and treatment of opioid use in pregnant individuals.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
  • Public Health
  • Opioid Use Disorder

Background:

  • Rates of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) increased significantly for nearly two decades.
  • Opioid use disorder in pregnant individuals poses a substantial risk to newborns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) rates.
  • To identify potential turning points in NAS incidence.
  • To evaluate the impact of interventions on NAS rates.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized national health databases to track NAS diagnosis rates.
  • Analyzed trends from the early 2000s to the present.
  • Statistical analysis to determine the significance of observed trends.

Main Results:

  • NAS rates showed a consistent increase for approximately 20 years.
  • A plateau in NAS rates was observed, beginning as early as 2014.
  • Post-2014 data indicates a stabilization of NAS incidence.

Conclusions:

  • The observed plateau in NAS rates may indicate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing and treating opioid use during pregnancy.
  • Continued monitoring and research are essential to sustain this positive trend.
  • Public health strategies targeting prenatal opioid exposure appear to be yielding results.

Keywords:
Access and useChildren’s healthComorbidityDrug useHealth conditionsHealth policyNeonatal abstinence syndromeOpioid use disorderPharmaceuticalsPregnant womenWithdrawalcosts and spending

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