Cleft palate, mortality and morbidity in infants of substance abusing mothers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a high incidence of congenital malformations, morbidity and mortality in infants of drug abusing mothers.


METHODS
In a 10 and a half year period from 1984-95, 497 such babies were reviewed whose mothers had abused a variety of drugs.


RESULTS
Thirty babies died or had serious disability. There were five cases of SIDS and 19 babies had major malformations, including seven with cleft lip/palate. Six babies had significant gastrointestinal disorders or feeding difficulties.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of clefting was 10 times the normal rate and SIDS five times the expected incidence. In a group of mainly socially disadvantaged women, the abuse of narcotics, amphetamines and other substances, with possible suboptimal nutrition, may have been contributory to this high morbidity and mortality. No specific drug could be implicated.
Thomas
D B
DB
Division of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Neonatology, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
D000014:Abnormalities, Drug-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000009:adverse effects; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000009:adverse effects; D002972:Cleft Palate / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects; D009357:Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000453:epidemiology
D000662:Amphetamines; D009294:Narcotics; D001569:Benzodiazepines