Document Detail


Risk of alcohol-exposed pregnancies among low-income, illicit drug-using women.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18788989     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVES: Poor women of childbearing age who use crack, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin may be at risk for having an alcohol-exposed pregnancy because of concurrent alcohol use. Women who use illicit drugs may not know the harmful effects of fetal alcohol exposure. Fetal alcohol exposure is a leading cause of developmental disabilities and mental retardation. METHODS: We report findings of a survey administered to 2672 women 18-44 years of age in settings serving low-income women, including an urban jail, a drug treatment facility, and healthcare facilities in Florida, Virginia, and Texas. We compared women who reported using more than one illicit drug (drug users) and women who reported never using illicit drugs (nonusers) for frequent alcohol consumption, binge drinking, failure to use contraception, unplanned pregnancies, and drinking during pregnancy. RESULTS: Of women interviewed, 75% (2000) reported using more than one illicit drug. Drug users were more likely to report frequent drinking (33%, relative risk [RR] 12.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9-20.4, binge drinking (39%, RR 5.7, 95% CI 4.9-7.6), and drinking during pregnancy (37%, RR 2.10, 95% CI 1.75-2.53) compared with nonusers (3%, 7%, 17%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Greater proportions of drug users (27%, RR 2.20, 95% CI 1.75-2.53) also failed to used contraception compared with nonusers (19%, p < 0.05). Notable proportions of both groups, drug users (91%) and nonusers (82%), reported unplanned pregnancies. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that poor women who reported ever using more than one illicit drug were at greater risk for having an alcohol-exposed pregnancy. Unplanned pregnancies in both groups surpassed national averages. Poor women likely require enhanced education about the hazards of drinking during pregnancy and methods to reduce unplanned pregnancies.
Authors:
Tanya T Sharpe; Mary M Velasquez
Related Documents :
10063949 - Crack-cocaine-associated aortic dissection in early pregnancy--a case report.
11302259 - Radiation and pregnancy.
7026219 - Epidemiological appraisal of the literature on the fetal alcohol syndrome in humans.
10972249 - Prenatal cocaine exposure and prematurity: neurodevelopmental growth.
2643529 - Radiation embryology.
19587689 - Bisphenol-a and disparities in birth outcomes: a review and directions for future resea...
10369729 - Bone mineral density of the spine and femur in healthy saudi females: relation to vitam...
16727369 - Estrus and pregnancy rate of dairy cows given one or two doses of prostaglandin f2 alph...
17007679 - Recovery and amplification of placental rna from dried maternal blood spots: utility fo...
Publication Detail:
Type:  Comparative Study; Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of women's health (2002)     Volume:  17     ISSN:  1931-843X     ISO Abbreviation:  J Womens Health (Larchmt)     Publication Date:  2008 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-09-25     Completed Date:  2009-02-26     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101159262     Medline TA:  J Womens Health (Larchmt)     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1339-44     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Office of Health Disparities, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mail Stop E-07Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. tsharpe2@cdc.gov
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Alcohol Drinking / epidemiology*,  psychology*
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
Contraception / psychology
Female
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome / etiology
Florida / epidemiology
Health Behavior / ethnology
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Poverty
Pregnancy
Pregnancy, Unplanned / psychology*
Risk Factors
Risk-Taking
Street Drugs*
Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology,  psychology*
Texas / epidemiology
United States
Virginia / epidemiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Street Drugs

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Autonomic function and prothrombotic activity in women after an acute coronary event.
Next Document:  Isoflavones and clinical cardiovascular risk factors in obese postmenopausal women: a randomized dou...