title: [The presence of morphine as heroin metabolites in placental tissue and fetus: case report].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Females who have developed addiction to heroin also abuse it during pregnancy. Heroin can be detected in the fetal blood-flow already an hour after maternal i.v. injection. Heroin metabolites enter the fetal blood-flow through the placental barrier by passive transport.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a 27-year-old female in the 5th month of pregnancy that had a miscarriage. Chemo-toxicological analysis (gas chromatography with mass spectrometry--GC/MS), showed the presence of morphine in the fetal liver (31.92 ng/g), placenta (27.94 ng/g) and meconium (136.33 ng/g). The analysis did not show the presence of 6-monoacetylmorphine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In all cases when the autopsy of fetus or newborn is performed, with mother suspected as i.v. heroin abuser, chemo- toxicological placental analysis, placenta and meconium should be also done.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D003932:Heroin / Q000032:analysis*; D006556:Heroin Dependence; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000196:embryology; D008470:Meconium / Q000737:chemistry; D009020:Morphine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D009294:Narcotics / Q000032:analysis*; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: D009022:Morphine Derivatives; D009294:Narcotics; D003932:Heroin; D009020:Morphine; C026979:6-O-monoacetylmorphine