Treating the Tiniest Opioid Patients

Guilt still haunts a new mother who was addicted to opioids when she got pregnant. Once she was ready to ask for help, treatment programs that could handle her complicated pregnancy were hard to find.

When a woman addicted to opioids gives birth, she is too often dismissed as an obstacle to her infant's health. A Connecticut hospital is challenging that attitude — and the culture of care.

More babies are being born dependent on opioids. The good news is they can safely be weaned from the drug. But there is little research on which medical treatment is best, or on the long-term effects.