PRENATAL SUBSTANCE-ABUSE AND PREGNANCY OUTCOMES AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN

Subjects in this prospective observational study were 467 nulliparous women, ages 16-35, recruited at the prenatal clinics of a university h ospital and a public hospital. Using a purposive sampling approach, an entry questionnaire and a series of psychosocial instruments were adm inistered throughout the pregnancy course to assess stress, anxiety, b ody image, self-esteem, pregnancy symptoms, locus of control, and part ner's interaction. Several pregnancy outcome measures were determined after delivery. Brazelton neonatal behavioral assessments were perform ed two days after birth of infants delivered to the maternal subjects. Self-reported substance abuse data were obtained from the entry quest ionnaire and the medical intake records, with usage characterized in t erms of occurrence prior to and/or during pregnancy. Illicit drug user s during pregnancy had lower self-esteem, greater stress, more pregnan cy symptoms, a more negative pre-pregnancy body image and less favorab le interactions with their partners. T test results show that infants of smokers had smaller head circumferences, shorter body length, and l ess optimal Brazelton orientation performance. Infants of illicit drug users had smaller head circumferences and shorter body lengths.