The number of babies who were exposed to heroin or prescription opioids during pregnancy has reached epidemic levels, but what does this really mean for the child and parents? During this presentation, we will discuss how a newborn’s opioid withdrawal is assessed and treated. We will also address longer-term developmental and behavioral outcomes that may or may not be associated with opioid exposure during pregnancy.
Facilitator: Dr. Dennis Hand – Dr. Dennis Hand is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University. He is also the Associate Director of TJU’s Maternal Addiction Treatment, Education, and Research program, which has been developing and providing treatment for substance use disorders to pregnant women in Philadelphia since the 1970s. Dr. Hand received his PhD in 2012, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship from 2012-2015. Dr. Hand has conducted federally-funded research on the assessment of newborn withdrawal and behavioral and pharmacological interventions to improve health among women with substance use disorders.