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Variability in the Evaluation and Management of Opiate-Exposed Newborns in Maryland

During 2003 and 2004 an estimated 2000 pregnant women and 31 000 nonpregnant women aged 15 to 44 reported using heroin. The majority of those newborns exposed in utero to opioids will develop symptoms of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Standardized guidelines for the evaluation and management of opiate-exposed newborns are lacking. The objective of this study was to document variations in the evaluation and management of opiate-exposed newborns among Maryland hospitals using a 13-item phone survey. Twenty-seven (82%) of the hospitals completed the survey. Staff at every hospital reported that they delivered opiate-exposed infants, however only 52% reported using a standardized evaluation and treatment protocol for this population consisting of guidelines for maternal toxicology screening, length-of-stay criteria and a monitoring tool for drug-exposed infants, infant supportive care techniques, and pharmacologic treatment guidelines. Significant variability exists in the evaluation and management of opiate-exposed newborns in Maryland. Validated, evidence-based guidelines are needed to standardize the care of these vulnerable newborns across all hospital settings.