Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2025

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

85.8K

Importance of Modifiable Factors to Infant Health in the Context of Prenatal Opioid Use Disorder

Deborah B Ehrenthal1, Yi Wang, Russell S Kirby

  • 1From the Department of Biobehavioral Health, College of Health and Human Development, and the Social Science Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA (DBE); Silberman School of Social Work, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, NY (YW); and Chiles Center, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL (RSK).

Journal of Addiction Medicine
|November 8, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal opioid use disorder (OUD) is linked to poorer birth outcomes. Modifiable factors like tobacco use, BMI, and weight gain explain over half of this difference, not just the opioids themselves.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal health
  • Maternal-fetal medicine
  • Public health

Background:

  • Prenatal opioid use disorder (OUD) is a growing concern impacting birth outcomes.
  • Identifying contributing factors beyond opioid exposure is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantify the impact of common, modifiable risk factors on birth outcomes in individuals with prenatal OUD.
  • To differentiate the effects of OUD from other co-occurring risk factors on infant development.

Main Methods:

  • Observational cohort study of Wisconsin Medicaid singleton live births (2011-2019).
  • Utilized Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition and Fairlie extension to analyze factors like comorbidities, tobacco use, pre-pregnancy BMI, and gestational weight gain (GWG).
  • Assessed impact on birthweight for gestational age (BW-GA) percentile and risk of small for gestational age (SGA).

Main Results:

  • Infants exposed to prenatal OUD had a significantly lower BW-GA percentile (11.2 points lower).
  • Over 62% of this difference was explained by included variables, with tobacco use being the largest contributor.
  • Comorbidities, GWG, and pre-pregnancy BMI also played significant roles in the explained difference.

Conclusions:

  • Modifiable factors, not solely opioids, account for a substantial portion of adverse birth outcomes associated with prenatal OUD.
  • Tobacco use and nutritional status indicators (BMI, GWG) are key targets for intervention to improve infant outcomes.
  • Interventions addressing these modifiable risks could mitigate the negative effects of prenatal OUD on newborns.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes05:25

Preclinical Model of Prenatal Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure to Assess Its Impact on Neurodevelopmental Outcomes

Published on: February 28, 2025

177
Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants06:39

Using a Murine Model of Psychosocial Stress in Pregnancy as a Translationally Relevant Paradigm for Psychiatric Disorders in Mothers and Infants

Published on: June 13, 2021

3.0K

Related Concept Videos

Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
2.4K
Factors Affecting Illness01:18

Factors Affecting Illness

When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness,...
4.2K
Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview01:21

Factors Affecting Drug Response: Overview

When it comes to infants and young children, they are typically administered smaller doses of medication in comparison to adults. This is primarily because their organ functions still need to fully develop, meaning their bodies are not as efficient at metabolizing or eliminating drugs. Additionally, their blood-brain barrier is more permeable than in adults. As a result, high concentrations of drugs can easily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS), potentially leading to neurological...
1.9K
Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners01:20

Opioid Analgesics: Morphine and Other Natural Cogeners

Opioids are a class of drugs that mimic endogenous opioid peptides and act on opioid receptors, and help in pain relief. These compounds are classified as natural, synthetic, or semi-synthetic. Natural opioids, like morphine, codeine, and thebaine, are derived from the opium poppy plant (Papaver somniferum or Papaver album) and are termed opiates. Synthetic opioids are artificial, while semi-synthetic opioids combine natural and synthetic compounds. Morphine, a prototypical opioid, possesses a...
185
Analgesia and Pain Management01:25

Analgesia and Pain Management

Pain is critical to various clinical pathologies, provoking an urgent need for effective management. Pain, whether acute or chronic, is a complex neurochemical process. Its alleviation depends on the type, with nonopioid analgesics effective for mild to moderate pain, such as musculoskeletal or inflammatory pain, while neuropathic pain responds best to anticonvulsants, tricyclic antidepressants, or serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. For severe acute or chronic pain, opioids may be...
518
Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids01:15

Opioid Analgesics: Synthetic and Semisynthetic Opioids

Synthetic and semisynthetic opioids are pivotal in pain management and tackling opioid addiction. Semisynthetic opioids, including morphinans (morphine derivatives), oxycodone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, and hydromorphone, have improved pharmacokinetic profiles compared to morphine. Additionally, heroin and 6-MAM (6-Monoacetylmorphine) show better CNS penetration than morphine due to heightened lipid solubility. Hydromorphone, a potent opioid, undergoes hepatic metabolism to form the active...
230