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Sex differences in neonatal outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure

Nethra K Madurai1, Lauren L Jantzie1,2,3,4, Elizabeth Yen5,6,7

  • 1Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Frontiers in Pediatrics
|April 5, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal opioid exposure impacts neonates, with biological sex influencing outcomes. Research is needed to understand sex-specific effects on infant brain development and health.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal outcomes
  • Neuroscience
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The opioid epidemic poses a significant public health challenge, affecting pregnant individuals and infants.
  • Understanding the impact of opioids on the developing brain during pregnancy and postnatally is crucial.
  • Biological sex is a key factor in physiological processes and may influence neonatal outcomes in infants with opioid exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current literature on the effects of biological sex on neonatal outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure.
  • To highlight the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in neonatal research.
  • To inform strategies for improving the health of infants affected by prenatal opioid exposure.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating sex differences in neonatal outcomes related to prenatal opioid exposure.
  • Analysis of emerging clinical data on sex-specific effects in infants.
  • Synthesis of findings on gene expression, feeding regulation, reward pathways, and white matter injury.

Main Results:

  • Sex differences in opioid use disorder are established in adults but less understood in neonates.
  • Emerging data suggest sex-specific effects in infants, including impacts on genes for feeding regulation and reward pathways.
  • Female infants exposed to opioids prenatally may have increased susceptibility to white matter injury.

Conclusions:

  • Biological sex significantly influences neonatal outcomes following prenatal opioid exposure.
  • Further research into sex-specific effects is critical for targeted interventions and improved infant health.
  • Understanding these sex differences is paramount for addressing the long-term health of individuals affected by the opioid epidemic.

Keywords:
developmentneonatal opioid withdrawal syndromenewbornopioid use disorderpregnancyprenatal opioid exposuresex differences

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