Prenatal methadone exposure and child developmental outcomes in 2-year-old children

Aim To examine the developmental outcomes of children born to opioid-dependent females enrolled in methadone maintenance and identify pre- and postnatal factors that place these children at developmental risk. Method Ninety-nine methadone-maintained females and their 100 infants (42 females, 58 males, mean gestational age 38.8wks) were recruited during pregnancy/at birth and studied to age 2 years alongside a regionally representative comparison group of 108 non-methadone-maintained females and their 110 infants (62 females, 48 males, mean gestational age 39.2wks). Information about perinatal exposure was collected from medical records, maternal urine and infant meconium toxicological analysis, maternal interviews (at birth and at 18mo), and a home visit (at 18mo). At age 2 years, child neuromotor function, cognition, language, and emotional/behavioral dysregulation were assessed. Results Opioid-exposed children achieved lower motor, cognitive, and language scores and had poorer self, emotional, eating/feeding, and sensory processing regulation than unexposed children. After adjustment for maternal education and other substance use in pregnancy, between-group differences in child motor, cognitive, and overall dysregulation remained. Postnatal parental and family factors explained a further 40% to 52% of between-group differences in child outcomes. Interpretation These children and families are extremely high-risk and need antenatal and postnatal support. Children exposed to opioids during pregnancy have pervasive developmental difficulties by age 2 years. These challenges are largely explained by adverse pregnancy and socio-environmental exposures, emphasizing the importance of specialist prenatal care and postnatal intervention support.

Automated summary

This study examined the developmental outcomes of children born to opioid-dependent females enrolled in methadone maintenance and found that opioid-exposed children had lower motor, cognitive, and language scores, along with poor self-regulation, emotional regulation, eating/feeding regulation, and sensory processing compared to unexposed children. These differences in child outcomes were partly explained by maternal education, other substance use during pregnancy, and postnatal parental and family factors.