Expanded 2-paragraph summary at 6th grade level:

This study looked at a way to test umbilical cords for two chemicals found in a plant called kratom. Kratom is an herb that some people use like a drug. It can make people feel like they are using opioid drugs. When pregnant women use kratom, it can also affect their babies. The researchers developed a test to look for two chemicals in umbilical cords called mitragynine and speciociliatine. These chemicals show if a baby was exposed to kratom before birth.

The researchers tested umbilical cords from babies and found that some of them had these chemicals. This means the mothers used kratom during their pregnancies. The test can help doctors know if a baby was exposed to kratom before birth. Knowing this can help doctors provide the right care for the baby after birth.

This study was done in a lab, not in the real world. The researchers tested umbilical cord samples, which are from humans, not animals.

Key takeaways:

• The study developed a test to detect two chemicals from kratom in umbilical cords.
• The test can show if a baby was exposed to kratom before birth.
• Some umbilical cords tested positive for the kratom chemicals, indicating mothers used kratom during pregnancy.
• Knowing if a baby was exposed to kratom can help doctors provide the right care after birth.

For further reading:

Link: https://academic.oup.com/jat/article/46/9/957/6680066

Full Citation:

Hughs M, Kish-Trier E, O’Brien A, McMillin GA. Analysis of Mitragynine and Speciociliatine in Umbilical Cord by LC-MS-MS for Detecting Prenatal Exposure to Kratom. J Anal Toxicol. 2022 Sep 1;46(9):957-964. doi: 10.1093/jat/bkac064.