Report: Fentanyl likely causing certain birth defects in newborns

Medical professionals in the United States suspect that a group of 10 to 12 babies born with multiple congenital malformations may be suffering from a new syndrome linked to exposure to fentanyl during pregnancy.

In a recent report published in Genetics in Medicine Open, healthcare experts observed that the babies, whose mothers had used fentanyl while pregnant, exhibited abnormalities such as an unusually small head, short body, and physical birth defects like a cleft palate or fused toes.

Despite extensive investigations, doctors could not identify a common genetic cause for the babies’ conditions. However, mothers of these infants acknowledged using street drugs, particularly fentanyl, during pregnancy, leading researchers to believe that exposure to the synthetic opioid might be the underlying cause of these abnormalities.

The study began by identifying and enrolling six babies with potential symptoms of the syndrome at Nemours Children’s Health in Delaware. Additionally, four babies with similar features were found in California, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, though they were not enrolled in the study.

Originally, the babies were thought to have Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS), a genetic developmental disorder. However, further research revealed that these children did not exhibit any features of SLOS or any other known syndrome.

Erin Wadman, a genetic counselor at Nemours, linked the cases in 2022 when consulting on a baby born with birth defects. Recognizing similarities in patients’ features and stories, Wadman and her colleague, Dr. Karen Gripp, a geneticist and pediatrician, suspected that fentanyl might be causing disruptions to cholesterol metabolism during pregnancy.

The report acknowledges gaps, such as a lack of quantifiable prenatal drug exposure and laboratory evidence directly showing fentanyl’s effect on cholesterol metabolism and embryological development. However, the authors emphasize the critical importance of recognizing the novel syndrome associated with prenatal fentanyl exposure.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, significantly more potent than heroin and morphine. In 2022, US officials seized substantial amounts of fentanyl, contributing to the country’s ongoing struggle with a drug overdose epidemic.