(Reuters Health) - Newborns suffering from opioid withdrawal might have shorter hospital stays and less need for medications if they stay in a room with their mother instead of being sent to intensive care, a research review suggests.
Researchers examined data from six previously published studies with a total of 549 babies. Compared to opioid-exposed newborns treated in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), infants who “roomed-in” with their mothers were 63 percent less likely to receive drugs like morphine or methadone for withdrawal symptoms, the study found.