Perinatal characteristics presented by 48 infants born of drug dependent mothers

Abstract

Descriptive and retrospective review of the gestational characteristics and perinatal pathology presented by infants of drug dependent mothers born in our hospital from 5-1-1991 to 12-31-1994. There were 48 infants of drug dependent mothers out of 6019 live births (incidence: 7.97/1000). Maternal mean age was 24 years and 42% were first pregnancies. Pregnancy was not followed by a physican in 33% of the cases. 87.5% of the mothers declared before delivery their drug dependence; 43 reported using dmgs in the last month of pregnancy and 21 in the last 48 hours before delivery. Heroin was the substance most commonly used (87.5%), followed by methadone (25%) and cocaine (12.5Oh); 43.7% of the mothers declared multiple drug abuse. Newborn pathology was as follows: 23% preterm, 25% small for gestational age, 69% withdrawal syndrome. No congenital abnormalities were found. 29% of the babies had anti-hepatitis C antibodies and 8% had human inmunodeficiency virus antibodies. One newborn (2%) developed acquired inmumodeficiency syndrome.