Health & Wellness
extension.usu.edu/HEART May 2023
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): What You Need to Know Maren Wright Voss, Amelia Van Komen, Emily Hamilton, Aarica Cleveland, Jaclyn Miller
National overdose deaths continue to rise, with 2021 marking the first time U.S. overdose deaths topped 100,000 in a 12-month timeframe. Substance use, such as alcohol, cocaine, opioids, and marijuana, during pregnancy is also increasing.1 As the U.S. struggles with harmful substance use, a growing number of infants are born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a harmful outcome of fetal exposure to substances.2 This fact sheet will talk about why and what to do, with recommendations for safe treatment and support during pregnancy.
7% of females report opioid use during pregnancy, and 21% of those report misuse of opioids.19
In the U.S., one newborn is diagnosed with NAS every 24 minutes.20 What Is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)? NAS is the cluster of withdrawal symptoms infants experience after birth caused by exposure to substances in utero.3 All opioids can cause NAS, including illegal drugs like heroin, prescription drugs like oxycodone or fentanyl, and drugs used for treating opioid use disorder.4,5 irritability, sweating, sneezing, fevers, yawning, low birth weight, heart defects
difficulty feeding, increased muscle tone, tremors, jitteriness, diarrhea, short sleep cycles
Symptoms of NAS4,5,6
Females who have a substance use disorder (SUD) can have social, psychological, and medical histories that may present risk factors affecting the health of the pregnancy and the infant.7