Retrospective study found that outpatient care for infants exposed to drugs during pregnancy was sustainable and safe.
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| Abstract | AIM: We determined the safety, feasibility and sustainability of an outpatient model of care for infants exposed to intra-uterine drugs. METHODS: This was a retrospective chart review of 774 drug-exposed infants born between 1998 and 2016 at the Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney, Australia. RESULTS: Most (86%) of the mothers used multiple drugs, including opioids (58%). More than three-quarters (78%) of the infants were born full term at a mean gestation of 38 weeks and hospitalised for a median of seven days. This rose to 14 days if they were medicated for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Most of the NAS patients (83%) were discharged on medication, namely morphine, and the median duration of NAS treatment was 76 (interquartile range 35-120). Three medication errors occurred: two extra doses of phenobarbitone and one infant weaned off morphine faster than prescribed. No infants were rehospitalised for NAS. Four died from sudden infant death syndrome at 2.2-5.8 months after discharge and one drowned at 15 months. None were medicated at the time of death. CONCLUSION:
Outpatient care for drug-exposed infants was sustainable and had low complication rates, even for those with NAS. The optimum duration of follow-up and impact on hospital costs should be examined.
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| Authors | R Rasul, M Ward, S Clews, J Falconer, J Feller, K Lui, J Oei |
| Journal | Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992) (Acta Paediatr) Vol. 108 Issue 4 Pg. 654-661 (04 2019) ISSN: 1651-2227 [Electronic] Norway |
| PMID | 30030933 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't) |
| Copyright | ©2018 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |
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