title: [Prevalence of prenatal exposure to cocaine in a sample of newborns from a university teaching hospital]
abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of prenatal exposure to cocaine in a sample of newborns using two methods: fluorescence polarization immunoassay and interview with the mother. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out in a university teaching hospital. The population included all live births between March 23, 1999 and June 01, 1999 (n=847). Exposure was determined by a benzoylecgonine-positive meconium specimen and/or by a positive interview with the mother. RESULTS: The prevalence of prenatal exposure to cocaine in this sample was 2.4% (16 cases) according to the interviews, and 3.4% (25 cases) according to the meconium analysis. A rate of 4.6% (34 cases) was found when both methods were associated. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the meconium test was more effective than the maternal interview for the diagnosis of prenatal exposure to cocaine. The meconium analysis enhanced diagnostic chances by 53.4%, compared to 26% in the case of maternal interview.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: N T
authors.initials: NT
authors.lastname: Rotta
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dieder
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Socal
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Margis