Association of Prenatal Counseling of the Mothers of In Utero Opioid Exposed Infants and the Need for Pharmacotherapy in those Infants. A Retrospective Cohort Study

Objective: A virtual prenatal counseling of mothers whose infants were exposed to opioids was started with the aim of providing an overview of what to expect for the infant after birth and how to reduce the severity of withdrawal. This study aimed to assess the characteristics of mothers who attended this type of visit and received prenatal counseling compared with those who did not. Study Design: This was a retrospective cohort study of mother-infant dyads with gestational age of 35 weeks or more, with birth weight of≥ 2 kg, and in utero exposure to opioids. Subjects admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for reasons other than withdrawal and with congenital anomalies were excluded. Subjects were divided into mothers compliant with the virtual prenatal appointment (Group A) and mothers who did not attend their appointment (Group B). Results: = 0.044, OR: 0.464, 95% CI: 0.22-0.98), after adjusting for selected covariates. Mothers who attended the appointment were more likely to be in a drug treatment program, less likely to have completed high school, and less likely to smoke during pregnancy. These mothers were more likely to provide mother's own milk (MoM) to their infants. Conclusion: Attendance at prenatal visits was low. Maternal compliance with prenatal visits in opioid exposed infants is associated with a significantly lower need for pharmacotherapy in the infant. Key Points: · Prenatal opioid counseling was associated with reduced pharmacotherapy for NOWS.. · Mothers attending counseling more frequently provided mother's own milk.. · Maternal treatment program participation reduced need for pharmacotherapy.. · Telehealth prenatal counseling may improve non-pharmacologic NOWS care..