THE INFLUENCE OF AMPHETAMINE ADDICTION ON PREGNANCY AND THE NEWBORN INFANT

Abstract

The influence of amphetamine addiction on pregnancy and the newborn infant was studied retrospectively in 23 cases. Six of the mothers claimed discontinuation of abuse in early pregnancy, while the remaining 17 mothers continued throughout. In comparison with the average number of visits by pregnant Swedish women to maternal health centers, the 17 women who continued their abuse made significantly fewer visits, although complications related to pregnancy and delivery were few. One child with a myelomeningocele was stillborn, 6 children were preterm and 3 were small for gestational age. Two full-term children were extemely drowsy and in need of tube feeding, symptoms that might be due to the maternal abuse. Eight of the 10 mothers who had previous children placed in foster homes left the hospital with their newborn infant in their care as well as the 11 primiparae.