THE EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE USE DURING GESTATION ON BIRTH OUTCOME, INFANT AND MATERNAL HEALTH

This study examines the relationship of substance use to birth outcome , infant, and maternal health in a large. nationally representative sa mple. Multiple regression analyses, accommodating the nature of the su rvey data using the SUDAAN software package, indicated that drinking a nd smoking independently and/or interactively with depression account for poor health and serious medical conditions among pregnant women as well as negative birth outcomes or adverse health consequences in tho se infants who are live births. In addition, African American women an d their infants are more likely than those of other racial groups to s uffer these adverse outcomes. Given rite risk profiles of individual i llnesses, this study suggests the need for developing and targeting he alth education and preventive efforts specific to those groups that ar e clearly at greater risk.