Newborn drug withdrawal is often attributed to maternal opioids, but many other drugs can cause serious problems in the newborn infant. The impact of prenatal substance exposure extends beyond the newborn period and may have serious long-term consequences on the infant until adulthood.

Early identification, intervention and awareness of the potential problems caused by maternal drug exposure is vital to minimise the harm of prenatal drug exposure on infants.

About the speaker

Ju Lee Oei is a neonatologist at the Royal Hospital for Women and a Conjoint Professor at the School of Women’s and Children’s Health. She is the lead clinician of the Chemical Use in Pregnancy Service team at Randwick and also the lead author of the Substance Use in Pregnancy and Parenting Guidelines for the NSW Ministry of Health. She is also chair of the Perinatal Substance Use in Pregnancy group of Australia and New Zealand.