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Federal Study Cites Measures To Address Newborn Addictions
By: Associated Press
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CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A new federal study recommends educating both health care providers and pregnant women on screening and prenatal care to address drug addiction and withdrawal in newborns.
West Virginia Rep. Evan Jenkins and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito say it’s the first federal study on neonatal abstinence syndrome to examine the best practices and approaches to treating infants exposed to opioids during pregnancy.
The Government Accountability Office study also recommends addressing the stigma faced by pregnant women who use opioids that keeps them from getting treatment.
Legislation backed by the lawmakers from West Virginia, which is facing an opioid crisis, required the study.