Baby girl was born with drug addiction

Based on the symptoms of increased stimulation and restlessness, the doctors sought more information from the pregnant woman's husband and learned that the baby's mother had been addicted to heroin during her pregnancy.

The image of a tiny baby girl just born showing signs of drug addiction due to lack of drugs, made it unforgettable to specialist doctor 2 Nguyen Thi Tu Anh, Head of the Department of Neonatology, Tu Du Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City.

Mothers using drugs can cause their children to be born with seizures and respiratory failure due to withdrawal syndrome.

"The 2.6 kg baby girl was born normally when her mother went into labor at exactly the 40th week. But just 2 hours later, the baby girl suddenly showed abnormal signs. Her skin turned purple, her breathing rate increased to 68 times/minute (a newborn's breathing rate of 60 times/minute or more is considered fast)," Dr. Nguyen Thi Tu Anh recalled. After being transferred to the emergency room, the baby girl was given oxygen. However, the baby showed signs of irritation and cried continuously. 2 hours later, her condition worsened.

The baby girl's health suddenly changed after birth, surprising doctors who rushed to find an answer. Blood tests and X-rays showed no abnormalities in the baby's body. Doctor Tu Anh said: "The baby's small body turned purple, and her skin was covered in goose bumps due to lack of oxygen. At this point, the baby was intubated for mechanical ventilation. The initial diagnosis was that the baby had respiratory failure due to slow absorption of lung fluid, suspected of sepsis. After using sedatives, the baby's symptoms of hyperstimulation were reduced."

Every year, Tu Du Hospital receives about 10 children with documented drug withdrawal syndrome (NAS). The mothers all used heroin and these babies were born against their parents’ wishes.

Based on the symptoms of increased stimulation and restlessness, the doctors sought more information from the pregnant woman's husband and learned that the baby's mother had been addicted to heroin during her pregnancy.

According to doctors at Tu Du Hospital, the baby girl was quite lucky because NAS appeared while she was still in the hospital, so she was discovered and given timely emergency care.

According to HCMC Women