Maternal narcotic addiction: pregnancy outcome in patients managed by a specialized drug-dependency antenatal clinic.
A retrospective analysis has been made of the outcome of pregnancy in 174 women abusing narcotics, managed by a specialist team from a drug-dependency antenatal clinic. These women were cared for through 182 pregnancies of greater than 20 weeks' gestation, resulting in 183 live and 5 stillbirths. The majority of patients were enrolled in a methadone programme and stabilized on the drug before the third trimester. The group was characterized by a high prevalence of previous obstetric and medical problems. The most common antenatal complications were preterm labour (24%) and anaemia (12%). Preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age each occurred in a quarter of pregnancies. The mean birth-weight for the group was 2,746 g +/- 721 g; mean +/- S.D. Eight perinatal deaths occurred (5 stillbirths, 3 neonatal deaths), giving a perinatal mortality rate of 43/1,000. The data on narcotic abusers have been compared with similar data obtained from randomly selected public antenatal clinic patients who delivered during the same period.
Ellwood
D A
DA
Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, King George V Memorial Hospital for Mothers and Babies, Sydney.
Sutherland
P
P
Kent
C
C
O'Connor
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006268:Health Facilities; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D008430:Maternal-Child Health Centers; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D008691:Methadone