News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
State Representative Ryan Williams has sponsored a bill that aims to reduce instances of babies being born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome or NAS.
House Bill 2348 would require physicians who prescribe opioids to women to also prescribe a long-acting form of birth control in order to curb instances of children being exposed to opioids.
NAS is a condition that occurs when a baby is exposed to drugs in the womb before birth.
According to a national study of pregnant women who were abusing opioids, nearly 90 percent of pregnancies in these instances were unintended. Additionally, NAS infants usually require hospital stays on average of about 21 days at a cost of more than $44,314 per child in TennCare expenses.
“NAS births have become almost a daily occurrence in communities across our state,” said Chairman Williams. “Unfortunately, these children endure tremendous suffering immediately after they are born. If we are going to break the cycle of addiction and solve the immense problem that is our state’s opioid crisis, we must implement solutions that include reducing the likelihood that our children are exposed to opioids. I am proud to sponsor passage of an initiative that is designed to accomplish this important goal.”
The House Health Committee is expected to discuss the bill tomorrow.
