title: Reduced fetal growth in methadone-maintained pregnancies is not fully explained by smoking or socio-economic deprivation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if reduced fetal growth in infants of opioid-dependent mothers prescribed methadone maintenance in pregnancy is explained by cigarette smoking or socio-economic deprivation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Inner-city maternity unit in Scotland.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 366 singleton infants of methadone-prescribed opioid-dependent mothers compared with the Scottish birth population (n=103 366) as a whole.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary outcome measures were birth weight and head circumference.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In infants of methadone-prescribed opioid-dependent mothers mean birth weight was 259 g [95% confidence interval (CI) 214-303 g; P<0.0001] less, and mean head circumference 1.01 cm (95% CI 0.87-1.15 cm; P<0.0001) less than in controls, allowing for gestation, cigarette smoking, area deprivation, infant sex and maternal age and parity. This represents an adjusted difference of -0.61 (95% CI -0.52--0.71; P<0.0001) Z-score in mean birth weight and -0.77 (95% CI -0.66--0.89; P<0.0001) Z-score in mean head circumference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reduced fetal growth in infants of opioid-dependent mothers prescribed methadone maintenance in pregnancy is not fully explained by cigarette smoking, area deprivation, maternal age or parity.
authors: Neonatal Unit, Princess Royal Maternity, Glasgow, UK.
authors: Helen
authors: H
authors: Mactier
authors: Deborah
authors: D
authors: Shipton
authors: Carol
authors: C
authors: Dryden
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Tappin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D009293:Opioid-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D009929:Organ Size; D011203:Poverty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012606:Scotland; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012923:Social Class
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone
keywords: Fetal growth; head growth; methadone; neonatal; pregnancy; substance misuse