Sharp rise in addict babies.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of drug-addicted babies being born at Lincoln County Hospital, the Echo can reveal.

A total of 35 newborns were transferred to a drug treatment programme after being born to substance-abusing mothers at Lincoln County Hospital last year.

This compares with 20 babies in 2008 and is an increase of 75 per cent.

However, the figures, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, did not reveal which drugs the mothers were addicted to, nor for how long.

Hazel Harrison, head of midwifery at the hospital, explained that the statistics were in-keeping with the national average and growth in population.

“Nationally, the birth rate has risen and we have seen the local rate increase too,” she said.

“This means that there is more potential for babies to be born to drug-dependent mums.

“Over the last year we have seen more mums who tell us about their drug use, as they have more confidence in the service we provide. They trust us to help them and their babies if they are honest with us from the start.”

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