PERINATAL DRUG ABUSE AND NEONATAL DRUG WITHDRAWAL

Course overview

DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES; SPECIFICALLY, OPIOID ABUSE AND DEPENDENCE HAVE INCREASED TO EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS. THIS INCREASED USE OF DRUGS DOES NOT PRECLUDE WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE OR THOSE WHO ARE PREGNANT. DRUG ABUSE DURING PREGNANCY IS A SERIOUS HEALTH RISK FOR BOTH MOTHER AND NEWBORN INFANT. FETUSES EXPOSED TO DRUGS WHILE IN-UTERO DEVELOP SIGNS OF DRUG WITHDRAWAL DURING EARLY NEONATAL LIFE. THIS IS CHARACTERIZED AS NEONATAL ABSTINENCE SYNDROME (NAS). ALTHOUGH NAS IS NOT A FATAL CONDITION, IT RESULTS IN SIGNIFICANT ILLNESS AND PROLONGED HOSPITALIZATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF PERINATAL DRUG ABUSE AND NEONATAL DRUG WITHDRAWAL AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING AFFECTED PATIENTS AND FAMILIES.