NEURODEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME AFTER PRENATAL EXPOSURE TO OPIATES

To study the developmental effects of prenatal exposure to opiates, a prospective follow up study of 34 drug-exposed (opiates and nicotine) and 42 reference infants (nicotine exposure only) was conducted from J anuary 1992 to September 1995. At the time of delivery, 12 of 34 mothe rs used opiates without medical control. Twenty-two mothers participat ed in a methadone maintenance programme. At 1 year, the average Griffi ths Developmental Quotient (DQ) was lower in the drug-exposed group (m ean: 100.5 vs. references 107.9; P < 0.001). This difference was mainl y due to lower subscales ''locomotor'' (mean 100.8 vs. 111.4; P < 0.05 ) and ''intellectual performance'' (mean 100.8 vs. 108.5; P < 0.05) in the drug-exposed group. Severe developmental retardation mean DQ (-2 SD) was diagnosed in 2 drug-exposed infants. Mild developmental retard ation (mean DQ: 1 SD- > 2 SD) was found in 7 drug-exposed and in 3 ref erence infants (P < 0.05). Neurological abnormalities were found more frequently in the drug-exposed group (11 vs. 3 infants; P < 0.01). Amo ng the opiate-exposed infants, the subscales ''hearing and speech'' an d ''intellectual performance'' were lower in the uncontrolled drug-usi ng than in the methadone group. The 17 fostered infants showed no diff erence in developmental outcome compared with the 10 infants living wi th their biological parents (mean DQ: 100.0 versus 101.3). Conclusions At 1 year infants prenatally exposed to opiates are at risk for mild psychomotor developmental impairment.