GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN BORN TO WOMEN MAINTAINED ON METHADONE DURING PREGNANCY

Abstract

Eighty-nine infants (S) born to women maintained on methadone during pregnancy have been evaluated periodically since birth to assess any long term effects of methadone on development and physical growth. Using Gesell's Developmental Schedule, 30 S had repeated measures between 23 weeks and 52 months, and 59 S had one measurement between 26 weeks and 41 months. Results show that the score for the first measure of each S ranged between 57 and 121: 43.2% of the scores fell below 100 with 2.3% below 75. 45.5% above 100, and 11.3% were at 100. Fifteen S had 3 to 5 repeated measures between 23 weeks and 37 months with no discernible trend over time. Analyses of height and weight were done for 22 of these infants and a control group (C) (N=18) born in the same nursery as S and followed in the hospital's clinic. The data were put into intervals in weeks: birth; 4-8; 9-13: 14-18; 19-23: 24-28; 29-38. For height, growth curves were parallel suggesting no difference in rate of growth but C was always higher(p<.025). The growth curves for weight were also parallel and there was no significant difference between groups over the study period. In general, the data suggested that infants of women maintained on methadone during pregnancy did not manifest adverse sequelae in regard to growth and development during our study period.

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