Neonatal Narcotic Addiction: Comparative Effects of Maternal Intake of Heroin and Methadone

During an 18-month period (July 1, 1971, to December 31, 1972) 91 infants were born at Metropolitan Hospital to drug-addicted mothers, of whom 46 were methadone addicts and 45 were heroin addicts. In comparing the infants born to 46 methadone-addicted mothers with those born to 45 heroin-addicted mothers, we found that the withdrawal syndrome occurred with equal frequency in both groups, but that the signs of withdrawal and the severity of these signs were greater among the methadone-exposed infants. Also, convulsive seizures and severe hyperbilirubinemia occurred more frequently among the methadone infants. Hyaline-membrane disease, not described among the heroin-exposed newborn infants, was seen in two of the methadone-exposed infants. (N Engl J Med 289:1216–1220, 1973). IN recent years, the use of methadone by pregnant addicts has increased considerably. As a result, during the past two years, there has been a marked increase in the number of infants born to mothers who have been involved in either methadone detoxification or maintenance programs for varying periods during their pregnancy or to mothers who have used this drug obtained “on the street” at frequent intervals during their pregnancy without medical supervision. Among 382 heroin-addicted mothers studied by us during a 10-year period from 1960 through 1969, only 35 gave a history of methadone intake for short periods, mainly.