Abstract
Although there is a great deal of information regarding the long-term growth and development of infants born to mothers who used and abused narcotic substances during pregnancy, there is little information regarding outcome of nonnarcotic-exposed infants. Two groups of infants born to drug-addicted mothers were evaluated over a period of 2 years and compared to a control group of drug-free infants. Group I infants (N=40) were delivered to mothers on well-controlled low-dose methadone maintenance and Group II infants (N=24) were delivered to poly-drug-addicted women who used Valium, marijuana, PCP, phenobarbital, cocaine and alcohol in various combinations. Group III infants (N=35) were delivered to drug-free mothers. All 3 groups were similar in maternal age, education, cigarette use and socioeconomic class and neonatal gestational age and Apgar scores. Weight and length of Group I infants were significantly smaller through 6 months of age but by 12 months had caught up to control infants1 weight and length. Mean head circumference for Group I infants was significantly decreased at birth and continued to be so through 2 years. Group II infants showed no deviation from control infants in all growth parameters except that a subgroup of PCP-exposed infants exhibited a small head circumference. On the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, no differences were found between the 3 groups although all 3 groups exhibited a downward trend by 2 years of age.
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Chasnoff, I., Burns, W., Burns, K. et al. 249 DEVELOPMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF INTRA UTERINE EXPOSURE TO NARCOTIC VS. NONNARCOTIC SUBSTANCES. Pediatr Res 19, 152 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00279
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198504000-00279
