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What Are The Possible Side Effect Of Naloxone Injection Given To A New Born?

Posted on Thu, 18 Aug 2016

Question: Is there any side effect if a naloxone injection given to healthy newborn.How long is the medication stay in the baby's system.Will the medicine show in the newborn screening.

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (37 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Side effects inadequately studied but unlikley to occur.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.

Naloxone is a drug that is used for the reversal of effects of the opioids used for anesthesia during delivery. Even though the child is otherwise healthy, it should have shown side effects of the maternal anesthesia for which the medicine must have been given.

The effects are not adequately studied in newborns. The following article should be helpful for you:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/0000.CD003483.pub2

60% to 70% of Naloxone gets eliminated from the newborn's system in 72 hours. You will find details at:
https://www.drugs.com/pro/naloxone.html

Presence of naloxone is not tested in newborn screening. Had it been tested for within this duration, it would have yielded positive results.

Let me know if I could help further.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Diptanshu Das (6 minutes later)

If newborn screening done 12 hours after birth will the naloxone still show positive result.

Answered by Dr. Diptanshu Das (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
As mentioned, newborn screening tests do not include tests to detect naloxone. If such tests are included, and if the test is done within 12 hours after birth, it will show positive results.

Regards

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar