Umbilical Cord Methadone and Buprenorphine Levels and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Severity - Takeaways - MDSpire
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Umbilical Cord Methadone and Buprenorphine Concentrations in Relation to Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Severity

  • By

  • Courtney Townsel

  • Makeda Turner

  • Fatemeh Biroon

  • Eric Broni

  • Samantha A. S. Willimas

  • Irina Burd

  • Jeannie Kelly

  • October 29, 2026

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  • 1

    This prospective, multisite cohort included 92 pregnancies and 94 neonates exposed to methadone or buprenorphine.

  • 2

    Severe NOWS occurred more often with methadone than buprenorphine exposure (55.6% vs 27.5%), and methadone remained associated with higher adjusted odds of severe NOWS.

  • 3

    Umbilical cord methadone and EDDP concentrations were positively correlated with maternal methadone dose, but cord buprenorphine and norbuprenorphine concentrations were not associated with maternal b

  • 4

    Maternal medication doses and umbilical cord opioid concentrations were comparable between neonates with severe and nonsevere NOWS.

  • 5

    The findings did not support reducing methadone or buprenorphine doses to prevent severe NOWS; the authors noted that dosing should be individualized to maternal clinical stability.

Original Source(s)

Umbilical Cord Methadone and Buprenorphine Levels and Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Severity

  • by Courtney Townsel, Makeda Turner, Fatemeh Biroon, Eric Broni, Samantha A. S. Willimas, Irina Burd, Jeannie Kelly

  • October 29, 2026

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