Fig. 1. Prenatal opioid exposure impacts neonatal outcomes in offspring.

A Rat dams self-administered oxycodone for either 5 days pre-pregnancy (control) or throughout gestation. B Number of pups per litter was significantly decreased at P3 and P6 following oxycodone exposure. C ~ 20% of oxyocodone exposed pups lacked a detectable milk band and oxycodone pups tended to have fewer medium-size milk bands. Data are presented as % in each rating category per litter. D We observed a main effect of treatment such that the average body weight of oxycodone exposed litters was lower than that of control litters. E Both male and female oxycodone-exposed offspring were persistently lower in body weight into adulthood. A–D N = 7 litters (CON), 12 litters (Oxycodone), male and female offspring are combined. F 46% of oxycodone exposed pups were unable to right themselves in 60 s on P1, as compared to only 14% of control pups, N = 79–127 pups per group. G There was no significant treatment effect on the % of each litter unable to right or on the latency to right (H), N (litters) = 6 (P1 control), 5 (P3 control), 13 (P1 oxycodone), 12 (P3 oxycodone). However, both measures were significantly lower at P3 as compared to P1. I There was a significant main effect of age, but no significant main effect of treatment on total USVs at P3 and P6 (J). Analysis of USVs by frequency at P3 revealed significantly more USVs in control pups as compared to oxycodone-exposed pups, particularly at lower frequencies (K). Data represent Mean +/− SEM, *p = 0.05.