Babies born in opioid withdrawal have unusually small heads

A new study suggests the drugs may impair brain growth

baby

LESS GROWTH  Infants born in withdrawal from opioids had heads that were nearly a centimeter smaller, on average, than babies born to mothers who didn’t use the drugs while pregnant.

CokaPoka/istock.com

Babies born dependent on opioids have smaller heads than babies not exposed to the drugs in the womb.