HEALTH POLICY / ETHICS
A Rooming-in Program to Mitigate the Need to Treat for Opiate Withdrawal in the Newborn

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1701-2163(16)35245-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of our rooming-in protocol on the need to treat withdrawal in the opiateexposed newborn.

Methods

We reviewed the medical records of mother–infant dyads born between October 1, 2003, and December 31, 2006, who received care in our rooming-in program. Data on the type of drug used by the mother, maternal methadone dose at delivery, morphine treatment of the baby, and perinatal outcome were considered.

Results

We found a significant positive relationship between maternal methadone dose at delivery, “other opiate” use, and breastfeeding and the need to treat the neonate for withdrawal. We also found the maternal methadone dose at delivery to be related to the duration of pharmacological treatment of the neonate.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest a role for our rooming-in program in mitigating the relationship between maternal methadone dosage and the need to treat opiate withdrawal in the newborn. Consideration of the role played by the mother–infant dyad model of care needs to be considered in future studies.

Résumé

Objectif

Cette étude avait pour but d’explorer l’effet de notre protocole de cohabitation sur la nécessité de traiter le sevrage chez le nouveau-né exposé à des opiacés.

Méthodes

Nous avons analysé les dossiers médicaux de dyades mère-enfant né entre le 1er octobre 2003 et le 31 décembre 2006 qui ont reçu des soins dans le cadre de notre programme de cohabitation. Les données quant au type de drogue utilisé par la mère, à la dose maternelle de méthadone au moment de l’accouchement, au traitement à la morphine du nouveau-né et à l’issue périnatale ont été prises en considération.

Résultats

Nous avons constaté une relation positive significative entre la dose maternelle de méthadone au moment de l’accouchement, l’utilisation d’« autres opiacés » et l’allaitement et la nécessité de traiter le nouveau-né en raison de symptômes de sevrage. Nous avons également constaté que la dose maternelle de méthadone au moment de l’accouchement était liée à la durée de la pharmacothérapie administrée au nouveau-né.

Conclusion

Nos résultats semblent indiquer que notre programme de cohabitation joue un rôle dans l’atténuation de la relation entre la posologie maternelle de méthadone et la nécessité de traiter le nouveau-né en raison de symptômes de sevrage aux opiacés. Le rôle du modèle de soins « dyade mère-enfant » se doit d’être pris en considération dans le cadre de futures études.

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Competing Interests: None declared.

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