Meadville, PA - Pennsylvania Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson today presented at the annual Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Symposium drawing together health practitioners, therapists, educators and social service providers who support those affected by substance use disorder during pregnancy to improve health outcomes for children born dependent of opioids.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) is a group of withdrawal symptoms in newborns that may present when infants have been exposed to medications or substances, most often opioids, benzodiazepines and/or barbiturates during pregnancy.
“All parents and families may face unique challenges as they bring a baby into the world – and welcoming a child experiencing withdrawal may be one of them,” Dr. Johnson said while presenting at the annual conference in Meadville.
“Professionals joining us here today and across the commonwealth want to ensure we do everything we can to support parents and children to grow strong and achieve their full potential,” added Johnson. “The Wolf Administration will continue working tirelessly to combat the opioid epidemic and ensure supports and resources are available for pregnant people, newborns and families to lower the risk and effects of those who are exposed during pregnancy.”
This NAS symposium is hosted by the Crawford County Overdose Prevention Coalition (CCOPC) run by the Crawford County Drug and Alcohol Executive Commission to discuss treatment for addiction especially as it relates to pregnant people, analyze the impact of prenatal substance exposure on long-term development of the child and their behavior and implement a strategy for behavioral interventions that support appropriate behavior in children affected by prenatal substance exposure.
The Wolf Administration has long identified substance exposure among infants as an important public health issue and remains committed to the fight against substance use and its effect on Pennsylvanians, especially our youngest residents. Each year, the Department of Health analyzes and publishes findings relating to NAS births in annual reports. These findings include demographics of parents, geographic areas, symptoms, treatment and other characteristics.
In the most recent report published in June 2021, the overall NAS incidence rate was 11.9 cases per 1,000 live births. Those NAS case counts by region ranged from 99 cases in the northcentral region to 501 cases in the southeast region, where the greatest number of facilities are located.
The Department of Health in partnership with the Northwestern Pennsylvania Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Coalition and the Ohio Perinatal Quality Collaborative created this NAS Family Guide Toolkit to help educate families and individuals about NAS, treatment options and other supports.
For more information on NAS and resources, please visit www.health.pa.gov.
MEDIA CONTACT: Mark O'Neill - ra-dhpressoffice@pa.gov
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