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Summary
Drug-addicted pregnant women, particularly those using heroin or methadone, face high risks of neonatal narcotic withdrawal syndrome. Substituting heroin with oral methadone and supervised care is recommended for better outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Neonatal Medicine
- Addiction Medicine
Background:
- Drug addiction during pregnancy presents significant risks to both mother and infant.
- Limited antenatal care was observed in a majority of the studied pregnancies.
- Heroin and methadone were the most prevalent substances of abuse among the participants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the outcomes of pregnancies in drug-addicted women.
- To identify factors influencing neonatal narcotic withdrawal syndrome.
- To provide recommendations for managing drug-dependent pregnant patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study of 32 pregnancies in 29 drug-addicted women over eight years.
- Collaboration between an obstetric department and a drug dependency center.
- Analysis of drug use patterns, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal complications, including withdrawal syndrome.
Main Results:
- 23 out of 24 delivered infants survived.
- 13 of 14 infants born to mothers using heroin or methadone developed narcotic withdrawal syndrome.
- Infants born to mothers on pethidine or who withdrew drugs four weeks prior showed no withdrawal signs.
Conclusions:
- Heroin or methadone use in pregnancy is strongly associated with neonatal narcotic withdrawal syndrome.
- Supervised psychiatric care and substitution of heroin with oral methadone are recommended.
- Planned hospital induction and neonatal observation in special care units are advised for at-risk infants.