Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a drug withdrawal syndrome exhibited by infants born to mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other professional societies endorse opioid agonist pharmacotherapy (MATs) as the optimal treatment for OUD during pregnancy. This study focuses on impact of weaning of MAT drugs on the incidence of NAS and neonatal birth outcomes among babies born to women with opioid exposure. The study population included eighty-six pregnant women with OUD, divided in to weaning and non-weaning groups based on their choice to wean the MATs during pregnancy. Univariate analysis was performed between the clinical and demographic variables of both groups. Multivariate analysis was performed to find the association between outcome variables and predictor variables. All analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4. The study identified a significant negative correlation (p-value: 0.0099) between weaning from MATs and NAS incidence. The study showed significant correlations of weaning with shorter LOS (p-value: 0.0036) and higher birth weights (p-value: 0.0408). Weaning emerged as a significant predictor for decreasing the incidence of NAS and improving the neonatal outcomes. Logistic regression confirmed weaning as a protective factor (odds ratio: 4.881 CI: 1.3, 18.1). The intricacies of weaning of MATs in the context of OUD during pregnancy present profound health and ethical considerations for both mothers and infants. The investigation into NAS incidence among infants born to women with OUD revealed a significant association with weaning from MATs during pregnancy. The study highlights the potential benefits of weaning, offering insights into optimized neonatal care and efficient healthcare resource utilization.

There is concern about the recently increasing number of infants born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), yet little is known about its long-term neurodevelopmental effects. School-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are in a unique position to comment on potential long-term consequences of NAS because their caseloads include children with a variety of communication disorders and comorbidities. School-based SLPs across the United States (N = 258) responded to a survey about the presence of children with NAS on their caseloads and their perceptions of the children’s communication disorders and comorbidities. Results revealed that children with NAS currently are being treated by SLPs. They primarily present with receptive/expressive language and literacy disorders, and comorbid Broad Developmental Delay, ADD, and ADHD. Furthermore, documentation of NAS is often not available to SLPs, hindering creation of protocols for identification and treatment. The results of this study indicate that investment in future research is warranted.

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This study examined healthcare professionals’ perceptions on feeding difficulties experienced by infants with NOWS, the involvement of SLP in care, knowledge and experience levels of professionals, and trends in education and follow up care. A 34-question survey was developed to obtain data from participants involved in the care of exposed infants using the secure webbased RedCap™ platform. Nonparametric inferential statistics and descriptive analysis were used to interpret data. Feeding difficulties in infants exposed were reported by all respondents with SLP involvement reported by 42.2%. Results found that 51.9% of respondents were confident in their ability to educate families about feeding difficult with 60% reported inadequate time to provide education. Discharge follow up was inconsistent amongst facilities. The study supports early involvement of SLPs to address feeding difficulties and improve education.