RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Phenobarbital versus mor l

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleand symptoms that can occur in the neonates due to intrauterine exposure to the opioids consumed by mothers. NAS is characterized by gastrointestinal, central nervous system, autonomic and respiratory signs and symptoms [1]. Although the syndrome mostly occurs in the context of antepartum opioid use, with the growing prevalence of illicit drug use, other drugs have also been described to cause NAS [2–7]. women reported using illicit drugs during gestation [8]. Among the neonates who were exposed to illicit drugs in utero, withdrawal signs and symptoms requiring med-ical intervention develop in 27–91 % [4]. The treatment rate is usually higher among poly substance and opioid exposed neonates (60–70 %) and lower in stimulants only exposed neonates (less than 10 %) whose the majority do not require pharmacologic treatment [4–7, 9]. In the last decade with the increase in the incidence of NAS, the total hospital charges have dramatically in-creased [2]