In response to a nationwide heroin epidemic, some Cincinnati hospitals arestarting a new program to test all mothers or their infants for opiates, not just those deemed to be at risk based on their background.
The program is intended to help physicians identify newborns who could suffer from Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS), a group of symptoms related to drug withdrawal including excessive crying, irritability, diarrhea, and seizures. Mothers who test positive will be referred to treatment while their newborns receive extended care.
It’s a bold approach to a growing problem but it may only be effective in a state like Ohio, which, unlike many states, does not punish pregnant women who suffer from drug addictions. Women already bear the brunt of the heroin epidemic and they may face additional criminal and civil consequences if they become pregnant while using drugs.
[For more of this story, written by Samantha Allen, go to http://www.thedailybeast.com/a...nt-or-treatment.html]
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