More than 50 babies were born over five years addicted to illicit drugs at north Cumbria’s two main hospitals.

The shock figure – released in response to a Freedom of Information request from the News & Star – reveals a steady fall in the number of new-born babies with drug withdrawal symptoms.

Yet despite this, doctors at both Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven continue to see newborns who are drug dependent because of their mother’s addiction.

The condition develops in babies whose mothers are addicted to heroin, methadone, or similar substances, because those drugs also pass through the placenta.

But after birth, when the umbilical cord is severed, the infant no longer gets the drug and quickly develops withdrawal symptoms, which is why the condition is known as neonatal abstinence syndrome.

Over the last five financial years, 53 drug dependent babies were born at north Cumbria’s two main hospitals – 28 in Carlisle and 25 in Whitehaven.

In Carlisle, the highest number of new-born babies with the condition arrived in 2012 to 2013, when 11 were born; the worst year in Whitehaven was 2014 to 2015, when nine addicted babies were delivered.

The good news is that in both areas, the numbers of addicted new-born babies has declined steadily in recent years, with just two born at the Infirmary last year and two at West Cumberland Hospital.

A spokesman for one national drug and alcohol charity said pregnant women with drug addictions should not be afraid of seeking help at the earliest stage possible.

Harry Shapiro is director of the online drug charity DrugWise.

He said that babies born with an addiction will within a short time typically begin to exhibit classic withdrawal symptom – such as irritability, restlessness and excessive crying.

“They’ll be generally uncomfortable,” he said.

“Sometimes the mothers are advised not to breastfeed them because that can transfer the drug to the baby. Usually, these symptoms and the whole situation is well dealt with medically.

“It’s distressing, obviously, for the baby, but there is no evidence to suggest that there would be any long-term damage to the baby, which is in contrast to the situation with alcohol.

“Often women with a drugs problem will report late to the maternity unit because they’re worried about the attitude of staff, and about whether social services will have to be involved.

“But it’s always the case that the situation can be handled better if they present themselves early.”

Mr Shapiro said that often falling pregnant can induce a significant change in women with an addiction, giving them the impetus and the strength they need to change their life for the better.

He said health professionals should also do their utmost to reassure addicted pregnant women, who can be deterred from seeking help by a fear that they may be judged for their lifestyle.

Over the same period, in south Cumbria and north Lancashire, 31 babies were born with a dependency on banned substances.

Those infants were born at hospitals which included Furness General Hospital in Barrow, the Westmorland General Hospital in Kendal and the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

“Sometimes stopping suddenly during pregnancy can cause problems so the situation can be very complex for them.”