title: The prevalence of chemical substance and alcohol abuse in an obstetric population in Dublin.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of illicit drug abuse and alcohol use in an obstetric population based in an urban maternity hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A collaborative study between the Rotunda Hospital, Dublin and the Irish National Drug Advisory & Treatment Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study consisting of anonymous, unlinked urine testing of 504 'first visit' antenatal patients and a separate group of 515 patients six weeks after delivery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Toxicological screening using enzyme-linked immunoassay techniques, with all positive samples being reanalysed. Drug histories were taken and samples were tested for alcohol and six of the most commonly abused drugs. The pre- and postnatal prevalence of abuse was matched with demographic data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of chemical substance misuse in the antenatal population was 2.8% and 5.6% in the postnatal population. Substances identified included benzodiazepines, cannabis, amphetamines, opiates and cocaine. Less than 2% of samples tested positive for alcohol. None of the women yielding positive samples had been pre-identified on the basis of history. A significant proportion of the women were in the high risk categories with regard to age and socio-economic status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of drug misuse antenatally was nearly 3% and postnatally almost 6%. Substance abusers in pregnancy are more likely to be single, unemployed, and to have had a previous pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Rotunda Hospital, Dublin.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bosio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dorman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Darling
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006771:Hospitals, Maternity; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D010298:Parity; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015406:Single Parent; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*