Doctors have identified 10 babies who were born with congenital disabilities and whose mothers used street drugs, including fentanyl, during pregnancy. They fear there are many more.
A new study has identified a potential new syndrome in babies whose mothers used fentanyl while they were pregnant.
Doctors have identified 10 babies who were born with congenital disabilities and whose mothers used street drugs, including fentanyl, during pregnancy, according to the study by Nemours Children’s Health in Wilmington, Delaware.
“This novel syndrome is clinically recognizable,” the study’s authors wrote. “The striking findings in these individuals allowed for the recognition of this novel syndrome.”
Researchers identified key recognizable traits the babies have in common, including small heads, genital abnormalities, cleft palates and clubfoot, among others. They also observed webbing between toes, and short and broad thumbs.
A broader problem
This new syndrome is part of a broader American fentanyl crisis.
“This is concerning,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cherot, the president of the March of Dimes, told NBC News. “As we see these shared characteristics identified, we may be unroofing a real syndrome.”
Erin Wadman, a genetic counselor at Nemours, discovered the possible new syndrome while assessing a baby with congenital disabilities in August 2022.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are responsible for most overdose deaths. These drugs are highly dangerous, and even a small amount can cause death. Shockingly, over 150 people die every day from overdoses related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
