Maternal and neonatal effects of substance abuse during pregnancy: our ten-year experience.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess perinatal outcome of pregnancy burdened with maternal addiction in comparison with an unselected population from a European transition country.

Materials And Methods: Data on pregnancies complicated by illicit drug abuse (n = 85) managed during a 10-year period (1997-2007) at Split University Hospital were analyzed. Data on the type of drug, course of gestation and labor, and on perinatal outcome were considered.

Gestational age--the most important factor of neonatal ponderal index.

Ponderal index (fetal weight in grams X 100 / (fetal length in centimeters)3) (PI) is one of the anthropometric methods used to diagnose impaired fetal growth. Irrespective of the infant's position on the growth-weight-for-gestational age charts, PI is low in malnourished infants and high in obese ones. As fetal growth is affected by ethnicity, geographic location and socioeconomic status, we developed standards for neonatal PI, and assessed the effects of gestational age, sex and maternal parity.

Fetal reduction in multifetal pregnancy--ethical dilemmas.

As a result of the increased use of drugs that enhance fertility, and the advent of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer over the last 2 decades, the incidence of multifetal pregnancies has increased exponentially. In parallel with this increase methods of care for women carrying multiple fetuses have become more complex and well developed. Importantly, it has become obvious that in the case of such pregnancies the rates of mortality and morbidity of both fetuses and mothers, particularly in cases where four or more fetuses are involved, are extremely high.