Maternal and Neonatal Effects of Substance Abuse during Pregnancy: Our Ten-year Experience.
10.3349/ymj.2008.49.5.705
- Author:
Mirjana VUCINOVIC
1
;
Damir ROJE
;
Zoran VUCINOVIC
;
Vesna CAPKUN
;
Marija BUCAT
;
Ivo BANOVIC
Author Information
1. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Croatia. mirjana.vucinovic@st.t-com.hr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Illicit drug;
pregnancy outcome;
neonatal outcome
- MeSH:
Adult;
Apgar Score;
Birth Weight;
Croatia/epidemiology;
Female;
Heroin/adverse effects;
Heroin Dependence/*complications/drug therapy/epidemiology;
Humans;
Incidence;
Infant Mortality;
Infant, Newborn;
*Maternal Exposure;
Methadone/adverse effects/therapeutic use;
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome/epidemiology;
Pregnancy;
Pregnancy Complications/*chemically induced/epidemiology;
Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/epidemiology;
*Pregnancy Outcome
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2008;49(5):705-713
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to assess perinatal outcome of pregnancy burdened with maternal addiction in comparison with an unselected population from a European transition country. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on pregnancies complicated by illicit drug abuse (n = 85) managed during a 10-year period (1997-2007) at Split University Hospital were analyzed. Data on the type of drug, course of gestation and labor, and on perinatal outcome were considered. Data on all non-dependence pregnancies recorded during the study period were used as a control group. RESULTS: During the study period, there were 85 dependence-complicated pregnancies (0.2%). Use of heroin alone during pregnancy was recorded in 51 women (50%), methadone alone in 6 (7%), and a combination of heroin and methadone in 9 (11%). Premature delivery was significantly more common in the group of pregnant addicts (21% vs. 6%); 49% of pregnant addicts were carriers of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and 14% of hepatitis B virus (HBV). Neonatal abstinence syndrome developed in 61 infants (7%) born to addicted mothers. There were 4 cases (4.6%) of early neonatal death; 7 neonates had 5-minute Apgar score < or = 7 (8%); 29 neonates had low birth weight for age (33%); and 7 neonates had congenital anomalies (8%). The risk of various congenital anomalies was 3-fold in the group of children born to addicted mothers. CONCLUSION: Addiction pregnancies present a small but high-risk group according to perinatal outcome. Appropriate obstetric and neonatal care can reduce the rate of complications in these pregnancies and improve perinatal outcome.
