News Report | September 9, 2020
West Virginia, Maine & Vermont Have Highest Rates Of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
The rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) was highest in West Virginia, Maine, and Vermont during 2017, among the 47 states and the District of Columbia who contributed data. Nationwide, the highest rate was in West Virginia, at 56.2 cases per 1,000 newborn hospitalizations. The lowest rate was in the District of Columbia, at 1.0 cases per 1,000 newborn hospitalizations. NAS is a withdrawal syndrome that can occur in newborns exposed to certain substances, including opioids, during pregnancy. The average national rate of NAS in 2017 was 7.3 per 1,000 newborn hospitalizations (or 27 . . .