Kanervo M, Luoto L, Tupola S, Nikkola E, Kahila H, Rantakari K. Intrauterine exposure to maternal opioid maintenance treatment and associated risk factors may impair child growth.
Acta Paediatr 2024. [PMID:
38456564 DOI:
10.1111/apa.17198]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
AIM
How maternal opioid maintenance treatment (OMT) affects children is under-researched. This population-based registry study investigated child growth and somatic health following intrauterine exposure to this treatment.
METHODS
Children born between 1 March 2011 and 30 May 2021 to mothers who used buprenorphine, buprenorphine-naloxone, or methadone throughout their pregnancies were followed for 2 years at the Helsinki University Hospital, Finland. Appropriate statistical tests were used to compare the treatment groups.
RESULTS
Of the 67 neonates, 52% were male, 96% were born full-term and 63% were treated for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Otherwise, the children were predominantly healthy, although relatively small: 22% were small for gestational age, the methadone group children being the smallest. Foetal exposure to maternal methadone treatment, illicit drugs, hepatitis C and smoking were associated with small for gestational age; the former two were also associated with later slower growth, especially head growth and weight gain (p < 0.001). However, 29% were overweight at 2 years.
CONCLUSION
Using child growth as the outcome, we found that buprenorphine-naloxone and buprenorphine-monotherapy had equal effects as forms of maternal OMT. Exposure to multiple risk factors may harm foetal and subsequent growth. We recommend long-term follow-up of children exposed to maternal OMT.
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