Brandee Brooks
FSS-10

Oklahoma’s Drug Addicted Newborns

According to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services recognizes the growing rate of newborn babies being born on prescription medications has increased within the past year by 16.5 percent. For example, out of the 375 newborns that were born in Oklahoma in 2014, 65 are born dependent to prescription medications. Drug abuse in Oklahoma is a growing problem, especially with prescription drugs. DHS states babies born addicted to drugs or alcohol can suffer a myriad of complications, such as withdrawal, which often lead to long-lasting health issues. The newborns can suffer seizures, excessive crying, fever, sweating and vomiting. The Department of Human Services relies on the hospitals to refer these families in the department of human services direction. The situation could improve if we could make it easier for women to get medical insurance and prenatal care early in the pregnancy. Make sure to get adequate support system while you are pregnant. Have a plan in place with your doctor about the prescription medication situation and provide a better alternate than giving birth to a drug or alcohol dependent baby. The media is portraying that the rural areas have a better support system that the urban areas that sometimes a patient that is pregnant and on prescription medications may not be able to get as much attention or resources due to the different areas reported by an Investigator Reporter Jennifer Palmer of