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By Amy Orciari Herman
Edited by David G. Fairchild, MD, MPH, and Lorenzo Di Francesco, MD, FACP, FHM
A baby born to a woman who drank kratom tea daily to self-treat opioid dependence developed neonatal drug withdrawal, according to a case report in Pediatrics. In February, the FDA declared that compounds in the botanical kratom are opioids.
The baby showed withdrawal symptoms at 33 hours after delivery. His mother had successfully completed rehab for oxycodone use and hadn't used the drug for 2 years before delivery. Additionally, her urine screened negative for the drug. The baby's father, however, reported that she ingested kratom tea daily throughout pregnancy.
The authors conclude, "With ... the increasing use of kratom for treatment of opioid withdrawal, pediatricians' exposure to these infants will likely increase. ... Because kratom is not reported on urine drug screens, pediatricians need to ask specifically about nonprescription [self-treatments] during pregnancy when taking histories from mothers with opioid dependence to better care for their newborns."
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LINK(S):
Pediatrics case report (Free abstract)
Pediatrics early-release page (if above link doesn't work) (Free)
Background: Physician's First Watch coverage of FDA statement on opioids in kratom (Free)