title: Non-nutritive sucking by infants exposed to pethidine in utero.
abstract: Obstetric analgesia in the form of pethidine (meperidine) to mothers during delivery has adverse effects on some aspects of the behaviour of their newborn infants. The non-nutritive sucking (NNS) pattern of nine healthy full-term infants exposed to pethidine in utero was compared to that of a control group of infants. The pattern was analysed and quantified using an automatic computer-based method. The results are discussed in the context of endogenous and exogenous opiates and their effect on brain-stem rhythm generators.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The typical NNS pattern with alternating sucking activity (bursts) and pauses is preserved in the exposed infants. There is a significantly lower sucking frequency (md 1.74 vs 1.90 Hz, p = 0.030*) and a tendency to a less stable rhythm in pethidine-exposed infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Göteborg, Sweden. mia.hafstrom@pediat.gu.se
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hafström
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kjellmer
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D013391:Sucking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008614:Meperidine