On August 8, 2011, I heard a troubling report on WOSU-AM, FM radio in Columbus, Ohio. It seems that the number of known drug withdrawal cases for prescription drug (especially opiate) addiction in Ohio newborns doubled between 2008 and 2010. Not all Ohio hospitals track these cases. There is no reporting requirement for these cases in the State of Ohio. Not all mothers are screened for drugs during their pregnancies unless the clinician suspects that something is amiss. So, we do not know the real extent of the problem. Furthermore, according to that report, sending an addicted newborn home to go through withdrawal can be life threatening -- especially if the mother does not recognize the infant's withdrawal symptoms.
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain/article/0/1/1837629/WOSU.News/Opiate-Addicted.Infants.On.Rise.In.Ohio
The report did not go into what lifelong consequences that babies born addicted to prescription drugs/opiates may suffer.
Yet another example of Ohio's "pro-life" legislators' hypocrisy about abortion. They demand forced births in the jackbooted dominatrix state even as they reject caring for the baby in the social welfare nanny state. Too bad for the infant that how she lives or dies once she is born is her problem.
Addendum: See also (broadcast on August 9, 2011)
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wosu/news.newsmain/article/0/0/1837929/WOSU.News/Columbus.Mom.Battles.Rx.Drug.Abuse
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