Perinatal risk factors for the neonatal abstinence syndrome in infants born to women on methadone maintenance therapy.

Background: Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) occurs in more than 50% of infants exposed to intrauterine opiates. Maternal opiate dosing has been investigated with conflicting results.

Aims: The aims of this study were to correlate maternal methadone dose and other risk factors with the development of NAS requiring pharmacological treatment by using easily accessible clinical parameters.