More than 1,100 Scottish babies have been born dependent on substances in the last five years, according to new figures.

The revelation has led to calls for world-leading alcohol and drug services, with the Scottish Liberal Democrats urging the Scottish Government to invest in supporting babies born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).

In NAS, children show signs of drug addiction due to their mother’s misuse of legal or illegal substances during pregnancy.

Symptoms of NAS, caused by blood passing from the mother to her foetus during pregnancy, include uncontrollable trembling, hyperactivity, blotchy skin and high-pitch crying.

Figures obtained by the party through freedom of information legislation revealed that 1,123 babies have been born with the condition in Scotland since 2017.

A total of 147 such births have been recorded in 2022-23 to date, down from 209 in 2021-22, while 161 were recorded in 2020-21, 164 in 2019-20, 199 in 2018-19 and 243 in 2017-18.

NHS Lothian recorded the most cases of NAS over the five years with 609, followed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde with 183, and NHS Grampian with 156.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Health Matters