Illicit Drug Use & Preterm Birth

Illicit drugs, including polydrug use (using/mixing a number of drugs), increase the risk for poor perinatal outcomes, including preterm birth and restricted fetal growth. Alcohol, cocaine, and heroin have negative effects on fetal development, in varying degrees, and can lead to preterm birth and/or low birth weight (LBW). Low birth weight is categorised as those preterm babies born less than 2,500 grams or 5 pound 8 ounces. Although the figures may vary, preterm birth rates exceeding 16% have been found among pregnant women drug addicts compared with less than 10% among pregnant non-drug users.

(Dew, Guillory, Okah, Cai, & Hoff, 2007; Kaminski, Rumeau, & Schwartz, 1978; Kennare, Heard, & Chan, 2005; Sokol et al., 2007)

Cocaine use in pregnancy is associated with preterm birth, congenital infection, and withdrawal syndrome, with secondary issues such as lack of prenatal care, and significant social and obstetric complications that can result in increased health problems for infants. A study conducted in 2002 reported that fetal cocaine exposure significantly predicted poorer birth outcomes, lower birth weight, head circumference, and length. The higher the concentration of metabolites of cocaine the poorer were outcomes.

(Ogunyemi & Hernandez-Loera, 2004; Singer et al., 2002)

To know more about how illicit drug use affects pregnant women, you can visit http://drugabuse.com/ or other similar sites that deal with the issue.

Australia Wide

• In 2004, 6% of women who were pregnant and/or breastfeeding in the past 12 months reported using an illicit drug whilst pregnant and/or breastfeeding.

(AIHW, 2004)