infant complications

Last reviewed 01/2018

These include:

  • preterm delivery
  • small for dates
  • increased risk of congenital anomalies, particulary with alcohol and phenobarbitone

Features of the infant born to the drug abusing mother are not unrelated to withdrawal seen in adults, and include:

  • central nervous system hyperactivity, with crying, tremor, seizures, disturbed feeding and sleep
  • tachypnoea, tachycardia
  • aspiration
  • apnoea
  • temperature disturbances and sweating
  • diarrhoea and vomiting