Cocaine Use During Pregnancy Assessed by Hair Analysis in a Canary Islands Cohort

Overview

Journal BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2012 Jan 11

PMID 22230295

Citations 3

Authors

Xavier Joya

Mario Gomez-Culebras

Alicia Callejon

Bibiana Friguls

Carme Puig

Sandra Ortigosa

Luca Morini

Oscar Garcia-Algar

Oriol Vall

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Drug use during pregnancy is difficult to ascertain, and maternal reports are likely to be inaccurate. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of illicit drug use among pregnant women by using maternal hair analysis.

Methods: A toxicological analysis of hair was used to detect chronic recreational drug use during pregnancy. In 2007, 347 mother-infant dyads were included from the Hospital La Candelaria, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). Data on socioeconomic characteristics and on substance misuse during pregnancy were collected using a structured questionnaire. Drugs of abuse: opiates, cocaine, cannabinoids and amphetamines were detected in maternal hair by immunoassay followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for confirmation and quantitation.

Results: Hair analysis revealed 2.6% positivity for cocaine and its metabolites. Use of cocaine during pregnancy was associated with unusual behaviour with potentially harmful effects on the baby.

Conclusions: The results of the study demonstrate significant cocaine use by pregnant women in Canary Islands. The data should be used for the purpose of preventive health and policy strategies aimed to detect and possibly to avoid in the future prenatal exposure to drugs of abuse.

Citing Articles

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Jarque P, Roca A, Gomila I, Marchei E, Tittarelli R, Elorza M Biology (Basel). 2021; 10(4).

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Prevalence of prenatal exposure to substances of abuse: questionnaire versus biomarkers.

Chiandetti A, Hernandez G, Mercadal-Hally M, Alvarez A, Andreu-Fernandez V, Navarro-Tapia E Reprod Health. 2017; 14(1):137.

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