Long-term mortality in mothers of infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome: A population-based parallel-cohort study in England and Ontario, Canada.
Astrid GuttmannRuth BlackburnAbby AmarteyLimei ZhouLinda Petronella Martina Maria WijlaarsNatasha SaundersKatie L HarronMaria ChiuRuth GilbertPublished in: PLoS medicine (2019)
In this study, we found that approximately 1 in 20 mothers of infants with NAS died within 10 years of delivery in both England and Canada-a mortality risk 11-12 times higher than for control mothers. Risk of death was not limited to the early postpartum period targeted by most public health programs. Policy responses to the current opioid epidemic require effective strategies for long-term support to improve the health and welfare of opioid-using mothers and their children.