title: Risky substance exposure during pregnancy: a pilot study from Lebanese mothers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The harmful effects of medication and licit substance use during pregnancy may potentially constitute a major public health concern. Our study aims to assess risky exposure of Lebanese pregnant women to drugs, tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol, and to determine their effect on postnatal outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women at term were addressed after delivery in five university hospitals of Beirut and Mount Lebanon between February and June 2012. A standardized questionnaire was administered to them. Moreover, medical files of both mothers and their respective newborns were checked to confirm information given by mothers, and to assess the health outcome of the babies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the interviewed 350 women, active and passive smoking of tobacco (cigarette or water pipe), and consumption of category C, D, and X drugs were common during pregnancy in Lebanon; they were shown to negatively affect the neonatal outcome in multivariate analyses: they significantly decreased Apgar scores and increased the risk of underweight and medical complications of babies (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that Lebanese women were exposed during pregnancy to multiple medications and licit substances that affected the neonates' health. Our findings have implications for clinical obstetric practice and prevention programs in Lebanon. Efforts should be made to decrease exposure to harmful substances during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Epidemiological and Clinical Research, Lebanese University, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Samar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rachidi
authors.forename: Sanaa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Awada
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Hajje
authors.forename: Wafaa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bawab
authors.forename: Salam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zein
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: Pascale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Salameh
keywords: Apgar score; alcohol; caffeine; cigarette; drugs; pregnancy; smoking; water pipe