Following babies exposed to opioids before birth

HEAL Initiative: Antenatal Opioid Exposure Longitudinal Study Consortium

NIH-funded research Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11145224

This project follows babies who were exposed to opioids before birth to learn how it affects their brain development and overall health.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionChildren's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Philadelphia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11145224 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS) is a serious health issue for many newborns in the USA. We don't fully understand how being exposed to opioids before birth affects a baby's brain and development over time. This project, called OBOE, carefully follows babies from birth up to two years of age, including those exposed to opioids and those not exposed. We collect detailed information on their development, brain imaging, home life, and their mother's well-being to better understand these effects.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This project focuses on infants who were exposed to opioids before birth, as well as a comparison group of infants who were not exposed.

Not a fit: Patients who are not infants or whose mothers did not have opioid exposure during pregnancy would not directly benefit from participating in this specific follow-up.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help us better understand the long-term effects of opioid exposure on children, leading to improved care and support for affected families.

How similar studies have performed: While previous smaller studies have explored aspects of antenatal opioid exposure, this project aims to provide more comprehensive and controlled data on long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Where this research is happening

Philadelphia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.