Nurses Spark New Research to Help Babies Facing Withdrawal at UNC Health Southeastern

Nurses Spark New Research to Help Babies Facing Withdrawal at UNC Health Southeastern

By Martin Moya, MD

UNC Health Southeastern will soon be at the forefront of a groundbreaking medical research project, one that began with a simple but remarkable observation made in the hospital's Special Care Nursery.

Nurses caring for newborns with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome noticed something striking; babies experiencing withdrawal cry differently than other infants. Their cries seemed higher-pitched, more intense, and uniquely patterned. This insight, born from years of bedside experience, sparked a research effort that is now bringing together the departments of OB/GYN, Pediatrics, and the Special Care Nursery to better understand Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and improve care for families in our community.

What is Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome?

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome happens when babies are exposed to opioids during pregnancy and experience withdrawal after birth. These infants can become very sick. They may shake, have trouble feeding, struggle to sleep, and cry in a way that is extremely high-pitched and difficult to soothe. Many of these babies need medication, including morphine, to help ease their withdrawal and keep them safe while their bodies adjust.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome affects families across the country, and Robeson County is no exception. Our hospital cares for these newborns every week and supporting them is a major part of our Special Care Nursery's mission.

A New Approach: Studying Cry Patterns with Advanced Technology

The new study at UNC Health Southeastern aims to explore whether acoustic analysis of infant cry, using highly sensitive microphones and modern machine-learning techniques, can help provide a more objective way to assess Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome severity.

The goal of the project is to identify the specific features in a newborn's cry that reflect how severe withdrawal is and to build a highly accurate computer-based model capable of recognizing those patterns. To do this, researchers will record infant cries, study details such as pitch and duration, and determine whether these sound patterns can reliably indicate how sick a baby may be. If this approach proves successful, it could lead to faster and more precise treatment decisions, easing the burden on families and hospital staff. In the long term, this work will allow us to create a simple smartphone app that any Special Care Nursery in the country, and even around the world, could download and use to assess infants quickly, consistently, and with remarkable accuracy, helping teams treat babies more effectively and improving their outcomes.

High-Tech Tools Made Possible by Hospital Leadership

To carry out this work, the team has equipped the Special Care Nursery with state-of-the-art audio technology, including medical-grade microphones and secure digital storage systems. The equipment includes items such as high-sensitivity microphones, encrypted drives, and precision acoustic calibrators, all selected to ensure the highest possible recording quality in a busy Special Care Nursery environment.

This investment was made possible thanks to the invaluable support of UNC Health Southeastern leadership, who recognized the importance of advancing Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome care for families in Robeson County and beyond.

Meet the Research Team

The study is led by four principal investigators including UNC Health Southeastern Neonatologists Drs. Martin Moya and Steve Parsons, and UNC Health Southeastern Director of Maternal Child Health Lyndsey Walters and Special Care Nursery and Pediatrics Manager Alanna Nance.

Together, they bring expertise in neonatology, maternal-fetal health, and newborn care-along with a shared commitment to improving outcomes for infants affected by Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

A Project Rooted in Community Care

What makes this study truly special is that it began with the keen observations by local Special Care Nursery nurses, whose dedication to their patients sparked a research idea now poised to make national impact. Their insight, that Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome infants cry differently opened the door to a new way of understanding withdrawal and supporting families during a vulnerable time.

UNC Health Southeastern is proud to lead this innovative work and grateful to the nurses, physicians, administrators, and families who make this research possible.

Martin Moya, MD, is a neonatologist at UNC Health Southeastern. To learn more about Women's Health Services at UNC Health Southeastern, visit https://www.unchealthsoutheastern.org/care-treatment/womens-healthcare/