Fetal Outcome in Narcotic-Dependent Women: The Importance of the Type of Maternal Narcotic Used

Abstract

The records of 239 infants born to 228 women dependent on narcotic drugs were reviewed to determine if type of drug abused and adequacy of prenatal care would affect pregnancy and fetal outcome. Seventy-nine (33%) pregnancies occurred in women on supervised methadone maintenance, 78 (32%) in women on unsupervised methadone maintenance, 49 (21%) in women on street heroin, and 33 (14%) in women who were multiple drug users. Although the presence of withdrawal symptoms did not differ with respect to type of drug abused, the outcome was significantly better in those infants born to women on supervised methadone maintenance as compared to all other groups (p < 0.001). There was no demonstrable relationship between the number of prenatal visits to the clinic and fetal outcome. A relationship could not be demonstrated between the maintenance dose during pregnancy and the presence of withdrawal symptoms in the infants born to women on supervised methadone maintenance. The findings of the study suggest that supervised methadone maintenance is compatible with an uneventful pregnancy and delivery. Neonatal complications, with the exception of withdrawal, do not appear to differ from that seen among infants born to nondrug dependent women.