theseedlesssmoker
Bluelighter
damn thats fucked up
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DPMC Moderators: tryptakid
Number Of Newborns Addicted To Painkillers Rising
- Thread starter gingerbutt
- Start date
Lady Codone
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2008
- Messages
- 2,134
Sad, and exactly why drug addicts/abusers should not have kids until they get clean. (I'm also strongly against mentally ill, extremely poor and ignorant people having kids, so say what you will).
Posting studies about the effects of methadone treatment on PRIOR LONG TERM OPIATE AND POLY-SUBSTANCE ADDICTS has NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EFFECTS OF METHADONE DURING PREGNANCY ON A FETUS....
Do you realize that the outcomes of these studies are the way they are due to a lifetime of drug abuse in the studies participants? Its illogical and not at all a legitimate comparison to compare the effects of long term MMT on people who abused opiates, other drugs, and alcohol for much of their lives, to the effects on a fetus when NONE of those drugs are present. Its not even remotely the same thing. Your post is poorly researched.
The studies you posted are not about pregnancy. Therefore the data has nothing to do with pregnancy. Ever heard the expression comparing apples to oranges? Thats your strategy here apparently.
This is just the very tip of the iceberg of information that SHOULD help you realize the truth, but most likely will have the same effect that all the repetition has had before--nothing. You obviously want to believe that you are right , and no facts seem to be able to change that. But for the record, for all the people who might read your posts and let the ignorance confuse them, Ima post the real facts.
Example One: NIDA
source
This is from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. You mighta heard of it. Its one of the main org's that the US Government gets its information from when deciding on drug policy, the scheduling of drugs, etc. Its about as established, well regarded, and respected as you can get. Here is their stance on the subject
Question: Is methadone safe for pregnant women and their infants?
Answer: Yes. Since the early 1970s, methadone maintenance treatment has been used successfully with pregnant women. There is consensus that methadone can be safely administered during pregnancy with little risk to mother and infant. Maintenance on methadone is necessary to prevent relapse to illicit opioid use and thus to maintain optimal health during pregnancy.
Methadone exposed infants may be smaller at birth than nondrug-exposed infants, but differences tend to disappear over time.
A careful review of the major studies of long-term neurobehavioral effects of methadone on exposed infants revealed no methadone-associated adverse effects.
(from same page)
Sources used by the NIDA, credited on original page: (Fun Fact: Youll notice that the first one is written by L. Finnegan. The Finnegan Scale is the definitive guide used to measure the NAS symptoms in newborns. The person whose scale is one of the most important tools in treating newborns with NAS advocates the use of methadone in pregnancy.)
Finnegan L. Treatment issues for opioid-dependent women during the perinatal period. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs 1991;23:191-201.
Jansson LM, Velez M, Harrow C. Methadone maintenance and lactation: a review of the literature and current management guidelines. Journal of Human Lactation 2004;20(1):62-71.
Kaltenbach K, Finnegan L. Developmental outcome of children born to methadone maintained women: a review of longitudinal studies. Neurobehavioral Toxicology and Teratology 1984;6:271-75.
Kaltenbach K, Silverman N, Wapner R. Methadone maintenance during pregnancy. In: State Methadone Treatment Guidelines. Rockville MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1993.
Rayburn WF, Bogenschutz MP. Pharmacotherapy for pregnant women with addictions. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology 2004;191(6):1885-97.
Selwyn P, Schoenbaum E, Davenny K, Robertson VJ, Feingold AR, Shulman JF, et al. Prospective study of human immunodeficiency virus infection and pregnancy outcomes in intravenous drug users. JAMA 1989;261:1289-94.
Example 2 - DRUGPOLICY.ORG:
Remember:
You can conceive and have normal pregnancies and normal deliveries while you are receiving methadone
You may have heard that you should not take methadone when pregnant. This is not true.
Methadone is not harmful to the developing fetus – but detoxing is.
Methadone is the treatment of choice for heroin and opioid dependency during pregnancy.
The effects of methadone on pregnancy have been widely studied.
Methadone has been used successfully during pregnancy.
When properly prescribed for pregnant women, methadone provides a non-stressful environment in which the fetus can develop.
Taking methadone during pregnancy may prevent miscarriage, fetal distress, and premature labor.
Decreasing the dose of methadone during the first trimester increases the risk of miscarriage.
source for above info
Example 3 - National Advocates for Pregnant Women: (source)
Opiate detoxification (whether by going “cold turkey” or gradually with the aid of medication) always is associated with a significant risk of relapse to illicit drug use, but is particularly dangerous during pregnancy because withdrawal can cause uterine contractions, miscarriage or early labor.i
Is methadone a safe and effective way to manage opiate addiction during pregnancy?
• Yes, there is a scientific consensus recognized by US government authorities and researchers that methadone is safe and effective for the management of opioid dependence during pregnancy.iv*
• Women can conceive, have normal pregnancies and give birth to and raise healthy children while receiving methadone treatment.v
• Methadone maintenance should be continued at therapeutic levels throughout pregnancy to prevent withdrawal symptoms or relapse to illicit opioid use. It is well established that metabolic changes during pregnancy often require an increase in the dosage of methadone to ensure optimal therapeutic results.
• Some newborns born to women receiving methadone maintenance may experience “mild to modest opiate withdrawal signs and symptoms in the early postnatal period…”vi. When such withdrawal occurs it is readily managed by appropriate treatment with an opiate medication; there is no evidence indicating any long-term adverse consequences.vi
• A review of “the methadone maintenance pregnancy” concluded: “Methadone treatment during pregnancy offers overwhelming advantages . . . [and] has been shown to be an invaluable and often an essential ingredient in bettering the health of women during pregnancy, in improving the outcomes of those pregnancies, and in offering opiate-addicted women a chance to improve both their lives and the lives of their families.”vii
• A study published in 2005 found that “high doses of methadone were not associated with increased risks of neonatal abstinence symptoms but had a positive [i.e., favorable] effect on maternal drug abuse.”viii
Are women who use methadone in pregnancy “abusing” their fetuses?
• No, in fact, MMT for pregnant women protects their fetuses from the harmful effects of opioid withdrawal and/or resumption of illicit drug use. For women who are addicted to heroin or other opiates, MMT is the most thoroughly researched option to improve their health and birth outcomes.x
• Methadone does not harm the developing fetus, but maternal withdrawal and detox may create significant risks of harm.iv
• Methadone does not cause birth defects or other long-term health problems. iv
• Babies born to mothers on methadone do as well as other babies and much better than babies born to mothers using heroin.i
• A review of the scientific literature reveals that methadone is compatible with breastfeeding as the amount of methadone in breast milk is very small.
xii
The Bottom Line: As a brochure entitled, “Methadone Treatment for Pregnant Women,” produced and distributed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, sums up: “Methadone maintenance treatment can help you stop using drugs. It is safe for the baby, keeps you free of withdrawal, and gives you a chance to take care of yourself.”i
SOURCES:
i U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Methadone Treatment for Pregnant Women. Publication number SMA 06-4124. 2006.
ii U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Medication-Assisted treatment for opiod addiction during pregnancy. In Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiod
Addiction in Opiod Treatment Programs, TIP 43. 2005, 211-224.
iii U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
OxyContin: Prescription Drug Abuse. Breaking News for the Treatment Field, 1(1). 2001.
iv Kaltenbach K, Silverman N, Wapner R. Methadone maintenance during pregnancy. In: Center for Substance Abuse
Treatment. State Methadone Treatment Guidelines. DHHS Publication No. (SMA) 93-1991. Rockville, MD: U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. 85-93. 1993; Finnegan LP. Treatment issues for opioid-dependent women
during the perinatal period. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. 23,191-201. 1991; Finnegan LP. Clinical perinatal and
development effects of methadone. In: Cooper JR, et al., eds. Research on the Treatment of Narcotic Addiction: State of
the Art. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 26, 155-61. 1983; Rayburn, WF &
Bogenschutz, MP, Pharmacotherapy for pregnant women with addictions. American Journal of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, 191(6), 1885-97. 2004.
v The Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy Foundation. About Methadone. 2000.
vi Institute of Medicine. Federal Regulation of Methadone Treatment. Washington, DC: National Academy Press;
1995:203-4. Retrieved on 8/27/09 from http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309052408
vii Kandall, S.R et al. The Methadone-Maintained Pregnancy. Clinics in Perinatology, 26(1), 173-183. 1999.
viii McCarthy, J.J. et al. High-Done Methadone Maintenance in Pregnancy: Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes. American
Journal of OBGYN, 193, 606-610. 2005.
ix Addiction Treatment Forum, retrieved on 8/28/09 from www.atforum.com/newsletters/2009summer.php.
x U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Medication-Assisted treatment for opiod addiction during pregnancy. In Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiod
Addiction in Opiod Treatment Programs, TIP 43. 2005, 211-224.
xi Dawe S, Harnett P. Reducing potential for child abuse among methadone-maintained parents: results from a
randomized controlled trial. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 32(4), 381-90. 2007; Luthar SS, Suchman NE,
Altomare M. Relational Psychotherapy Mothers' Group: a randomized clinical trial for substance abusing mothers.
Developmental Psychopathology, 19(1),243-61. 2009.
xii Jansson LM, Velez M, Harrow C. Methadone maintenance and lactation: a review of the literature and current
management guidelines. Journal of Human Lactation, 20(1), 62-71. 2004.
Enjoy the reading material, thats just a little something to get you started. Theres plenty more where that came from, in case you still are confused about the merit of methadone for pregnant women or the safety for the fetus.
Ph0r.W3-R-m4ny
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2011
- Messages
- 337
^don't knock a good thing 
AfterGlow
Bluelighter
Not that I'm taking any position on this myself.. but this news article is pertinent to the discussion...
CDC Links Prescription Painkillers in Pregnancy to Birth Defects
Modest rise in risk noted, but danger to any one woman remains small, researchers say
WEDNESDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Moms-to-be who take prescription opioid painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) may increase the risk of birth defects in their newborns, according to a new U.S. government report.
Taking these types of analgesics just prior to pregnancy or in the early stages of pregnancy was linked to a modest risk of congenital heart defects in an ongoing population study, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis was also heightened, the report said.
"Women who are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, should know there are risks associated with using prescription painkillers," said CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, in an agency news release. "They should only take medications that are essential, in consultation with their health care provider. "
In the study of data from 10 states, the CDC researchers found that 2 percent to 3 percent of mothers interviewed received prescription opioid pain killers, or analgesics, just before they got pregnant or early in their pregnancy. Any illicit use of painkillers was not assessed.
For those women, the risk of having a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome -- a critical heart defect -- was about double that of women who took no opioid drugs.
About 40,000 infants are born with congenital heart defects in the United States each year. Many of these babies die within a year, while the surviving infants may undergo lengthy hospitalizations, multiple operations and ongoing treatment for related medical problems, the CDC said.
According to the report, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the safety of most medications taken during pregnancy has not been established.
Many factors may influence the risks, including: how much medication a woman takes; at what stage of pregnancy she takes it; any other health conditions she has; and any other medications she takes.
However, the study authors noted that the risk from prescription painkillers in any one pregnancy is small.
"It's important to acknowledge that although there is an increased risk for some types of major birth defects from an exposure to opioid analgesics, that absolute risk for any individual woman is relatively modest," lead author Cheryl S. Broussard, of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, said in the news release.
"However, with very serious and life-threatening birth defects like hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the prevention of even a small number of cases is very important," she said, adding that it's important for any woman who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant talk to her doctor before taking any medication.
The CDC said its National Birth Defects Prevention Study is the largest ever done on causes of birth defects in the United States.
link
CDC Links Prescription Painkillers in Pregnancy to Birth Defects
Modest rise in risk noted, but danger to any one woman remains small, researchers say
WEDNESDAY, March 2 (HealthDay News) -- Moms-to-be who take prescription opioid painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) may increase the risk of birth defects in their newborns, according to a new U.S. government report.
Taking these types of analgesics just prior to pregnancy or in the early stages of pregnancy was linked to a modest risk of congenital heart defects in an ongoing population study, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis was also heightened, the report said.
"Women who are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, should know there are risks associated with using prescription painkillers," said CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, in an agency news release. "They should only take medications that are essential, in consultation with their health care provider. "
In the study of data from 10 states, the CDC researchers found that 2 percent to 3 percent of mothers interviewed received prescription opioid pain killers, or analgesics, just before they got pregnant or early in their pregnancy. Any illicit use of painkillers was not assessed.
For those women, the risk of having a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome -- a critical heart defect -- was about double that of women who took no opioid drugs.
About 40,000 infants are born with congenital heart defects in the United States each year. Many of these babies die within a year, while the surviving infants may undergo lengthy hospitalizations, multiple operations and ongoing treatment for related medical problems, the CDC said.
According to the report, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the safety of most medications taken during pregnancy has not been established.
Many factors may influence the risks, including: how much medication a woman takes; at what stage of pregnancy she takes it; any other health conditions she has; and any other medications she takes.
However, the study authors noted that the risk from prescription painkillers in any one pregnancy is small.
"It's important to acknowledge that although there is an increased risk for some types of major birth defects from an exposure to opioid analgesics, that absolute risk for any individual woman is relatively modest," lead author Cheryl S. Broussard, of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, said in the news release.
"However, with very serious and life-threatening birth defects like hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the prevention of even a small number of cases is very important," she said, adding that it's important for any woman who is pregnant or planning to become pregnant talk to her doctor before taking any medication.
The CDC said its National Birth Defects Prevention Study is the largest ever done on causes of birth defects in the United States.
link