Can umbilical cord testing add to maternal urine drug screen for evaluation of infants at risk of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome?

Abstract

Objective

This study evaluated maternal urine drug screen (UDS) at delivery and umbilical cord drug testing and its association with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) diagnosis and severity following opioid exposed pregnancy.

Methods

A retrospective chart review of 770 mother-infant dyads at five birthing hospitals in the United States Appalachian region for a five-year period was performed. Variables of interest included dyad demographics, results of maternal UDS at delivery and umbilical cord drug testing, and three neonatal outcomes: NOWS diagnosis, pharmacologic treatment administered for NOWS, and length of hospital stay (LOS) of the newborn.

Results

Opioid-positivity was between 8.5% and 66.3% based on maternal UDS at delivery or umbilical cord testing. Odds of NOWS diagnosis and increased infant LOS was best associated with opioid detection in maternal UDS alone (OR = 5.62, 95% CI [3.06, 10.33] and OR = 8.33, 95% CI [3.67, 18.89], respectively). However, odds of pharmacologic treatment for NOWS was best associated with opioid detection in both maternal UDS and umbilical cord testing on the same dyad (OR = 3.22, 95% CI [1.14, 9.09]).

Conclusion

Maternal UDS is a better option compared to umbilical cord testing for evaluation of opioid-exposed infants and risk of NOWS diagnosis and increased infant LOS.

Keywords:

• Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS)
• neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)
• opioid use disorder (OUD)
• medication assisted treatment (MAT)
• opioid-exposed pregnancy
• umbilical cord
• urine drug screen
• perinatology

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Patrick Costello, Ballad Health Department of Pathology, Ms. Kathryn Duvall, Department of Pediatrics, Quillen College of Medicine, Dr. William Block, Dean, Quillen College of Medicine, and the ETSU NAS Research Work Group for their support and contributions to this work.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Additional information

Funding

The development of the database used in this study was supported, in part, by grant funding from the Johnson City, TN Junior League, and also through direct financial and/or in-kind support from the East Tennessee State University Departments of Pediatrics and Family Medicine, the ETSU Center for Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse, and Ballad Health System Offices of Research and Information Technology.