HUMAN FETAL BEHAVIOR AND MATERNAL COCAINE USE - A LONGITUDINAL-STUDY

This paper reports a series of ultrasound observations on a human fetu s from 21 weeks of gestational age at two weekly intervals to term. Th e mother until 18 weeks of gestational age, was a user of cocaine but after this age used cocaine only once at 31 weeks gestation. The behav iour of this fetus was compared to a group of 10 similar aged fetuses who were not exposed to cocaine. Exposure to cocaine resulted in prolo nged periods of inactivity interspersed with periods of increased gene ral activity and an increased number of startles. This was particularl y evident immediately following exposure to cocaine but behaviour appe ared to become more normal with time as the mother stopped using cocai ne. The behavioural states of the cocaine exposed fetus were different from unexposed fetuses. Longer periods were spent in States 1F and 4F and less time in State 2F. Furthermore the incidence of periods where no states were observed was considerably higher. These observations d emonstrate that maternal cocaine use disrupts the behaviour of the fet us indicating a direct effect on the CNS. The value of prenatal behavi oural observations to assess the effects of neurotoxic agents is demon strated, (C) 1995 Intox Press, Inc.