This meta- analysis showed no significant impairments , at a non-conservative significance level of p < 0.05 , for cognitive , psychomotor or observed behavioural outcomes for chronic intra-uterine exposed infants and pre-school children compared to non-exposed infants and children .
However , all domains suggested a trend to poor outcomes in infants/children of opioid using mothers .
Conclusions Chronic intra-uterine opioid exposed infants and pre-school children experienced no significant impairment in neurobehavioral outcomes when compared to non-exposed peers , although in all domains there was a trend to poorer outcomes .
Background It is assumed within the accumulated literature that children born of pregnant opioid dependent mothers have impaired neurobehavioral function as a consequence of chronic intrauterine opioid use .
Methadone and perinatal outcomes: a prospective cohort study.
AIMS Methadone use in pregnancy has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes and neonatal abstinence syndrome ( NAS ) . This study aim ed to examine perinatal outcomes and NAS in relation to ( i ) concomitant drug use and ( ii ) methadone dose . DESIGN Prospect i ve cohort study . SETTING Two tertiary care maternity hospitals . PARTICIPANTS A total of 117 pregnant women on methadone maintenance treatment recruited between July 2009 and July 2010 . MEASUREMENTS Information on concomitant drug use was recorded with the Addiction Severity Index . Perinatal outcomes included pre-term birth ( < 37 weeks ' gestation ) , small-for-gestational-age ( < 10th centile ) and neonatal unit admission . NAS outcomes included : incidence of medically treated NAS , peak Finnegan score , cumulative dose of NAS treatment and duration of hospitalization . FINDINGS Of the 114 liveborn infants 11 ( 9.6 % ) were born pre-term , 49 ( 42.9 % ) were small-for-gestational-age , 56 ( 49.1 % ) had a neonatal unit admission and 29 ( 25.4 % ) were treated medically for NAS . Neonates exposed to methadone-only had a shorter hospitalization than those exposed to methadone and concomitant drugs ( median 5.0 days versus 6.0 days , P = 0.03 ) . Neonates exposed to methadone doses ≥80 mg required higher cumulative doses of morphine  treatment for NAS ( median 13.2 mg versus 19.3 mg , P = 0.03 ) . The incidence and duration of NAS did not differ between the two dosage groups . CONCLUSIONS The incidence and duration of the neonatal abstinence syndrome is not associated with maternal methadone dose , but maternal opiate , benzodiazepine or cocaine use is associated with longer neonatal hospitalization
This meta- analysis showed no significant impairments , at a non-conservative significance level of p < 0.05 , for cognitive , psychomotor or observed behavioural outcomes for chronic intra-uterine exposed infants and pre-school children compared to non-exposed infants and children .
However , all domains suggested a trend to poor outcomes in infants/children of opioid using mothers .
Conclusions Chronic intra-uterine opioid exposed infants and pre-school children experienced no significant impairment in neurobehavioral outcomes when compared to non-exposed peers , although in all domains there was a trend to poorer outcomes .
Background It is assumed within the accumulated literature that children born of pregnant opioid dependent mothers have impaired neurobehavioral function as a consequence of chronic intrauterine opioid use .