Shocking figures reveal a total of 34 babies have been born addicted to drugs in Forth Valley since 2017

It is called neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and is caused by drugs passing from the mother into the bloodstream of her foetus during pregnancy. Symptoms include uncontrollable trembling, hyperactivity, seizures, vomiting, fever, overactive reflexes, blotchy skin and high-pitched or too much crying.

Freedom of Information request statistics compiled by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed at least 1123 babies had been born in Scotland dependent on substances over the last five years.

According to the figures the Forth Valley area has seen 34 babies born with NAS since 2017.

There were nine born in 2017/18, seven in 2018/19, five in 2019/20, five in 2021/22 and six to date in 2022/23.

During the period 2020/21 there were less than five babies born with NAS in the Forth Valley area and those figures have been discounted as it may lead to identification of the patients concerned.

The Scottish Lib Dems, who stated the figures were “utterly heartbreaking”, are now calling on the Scottish Government to invest in local services which are best placed to intervene to stop lives from being lost and new lives starting dependent on substances.

A Scottish Lib Dem spokesperson said: “There is perhaps no worse start in life for a new-born baby. Drug misuse should always be treated as a health issue, not a criminal justice matter. Anything else will condemn many more children to be born into these awful circumstances.”