Creating A Family: Talk About Infertility, Adoption & Foster Care

Are you considering adopting or fostering a baby who was exposed to opioids prenatally? We talk with Dr. Robin Gurwitch, a faculty member in the Duke University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Center for Child and Family Health. Her research focuses on improving the outcomes and increasing resilience in children who have experienced trauma, including prenatal exposure.In this episode, we cover:What drugs are included in the category of opioids? Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illegal drug heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and many others. Methadone and suboxone?How does prenatal exposure to opioids affect a fetus?How can you tell if the baby is born dependent on opioids?What are the symptoms of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)?How common is testing of the newborn or mother?What impacts the severity of the withdrawal symptoms an infa