Features of postnatal period in newborns with heroin withdrawal syndrome

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of postnatal period in newborns with heroin neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). We studied 30 infants with clinical manifestations of heroin NAS (study group). The control group included 30 neonates with severe perinatal pathology. The results showed that the drug-addicted women often give birth quickly, and they rarely underwent a caesarean section. The average gestational age of newborns within the test population was higher than in the control group. However, between the two groups no difference in body weight, body length, head circumference and chest circumference at birth was observed. In full-term patients of the main group compared to preterm NAS expressed a longer and had a higher total score of symptoms of irritation of the central nervous system on the L. Finnegan scale. Neonate carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV), compared with infants without HBV also expressed a large average duration and NAS total L. Finnegan score. No significant differences between characteristics such as maternal age, duration of heroin use of the mother, the total score on the scale L. Finnegan, the day NAS relief between patients whose mothers had used heroin on the day of birth and before were observed in the data. Among more than half of NAS patients the following symptoms were observed: excessive high-pitched cry, increased muscle tone, sleep less than 1 hour after feeding, mild tremors when undisturbed, nasal stuffiness, excessive sucking. Refs 10. Tables 6.