A Comparison between APGAR Scores and Birth Weight in Infants of Addicted and Non-Addicted Mothers.
BACKGROUND
Addiction in pregnant women causes complications such as abortion, asphyxia and cerebral and physical problems. APGAR score assesses vital signs and birth weight and represents the physical and brain growth of newborns. In this study, the effects of opium addiction in mothers on birth weight and APGAR scores of neonates were discussed.


METHODS
This study analytic, descriptive study was conducted on 49 pregnant women addicted to oral consumption of opium (0.5-0.8 grams daily) and 49 non-addicted women who referred to Afzalipour Hospital associated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Information including various personal characteristics, history of addiction and drug consumption, and the possibility of taking other drugs was collected by a researcher and recorded confidentially in a checklist. Birth weight and APGAR score t first, fifth and tenth minutes were also recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson correlation test, independent t-test, and repeated measure to evaluate the APGAR scores and other characteristics of the two groups of infants.


RESULTS
Average birth weight of infants with addicted mothers was 2255 grams which had a significant difference with infants born by non-addicted mothers (P < 0.0001). Average APGAR scores at the first minute were 7.6 ± 1.1 and 8.6 ± 1.1 among infants from addicted and non-addicted mothers, respectively. Average APGAR scores over time (at minutes 1, 5 and 10) had a significant difference (P < 0.0001) where an ascending trend was seen. This difference was significant in both groups (P = 0.003).


CONCLUSIONS
Drug addiction in mothers decreases the APGAR score and birth weight of infants.
Research Center for Modeling in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Esmat
E
Rahi
Assistant Professor, Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Research Center for Modeling in Health, Physiology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Mohammad Reza
MR
Baneshi
Medical Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Ehsan
E
Mirkamandar
Regional Knowledge Hub for HIV/AIDS Surveillance, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Saiedeh
S
Haji Maghsoudi
Research Center for Modeling in Health, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Azam
A
Rastegari
APGAR score; Addicted mother; Birth weight; Opiate