INTRAUTERINE COCAINE, LEAD, AND NICOTINE EXPOSURE AND FETAL GROWTH

Intrauterine tobacco, lead, and cocaine exposure often co-occur and ma y affect fetal growth and development, yet studies of gestational coca ine effects have not adequately measured lead or tobacco. In this anon ymous survey, blood lead and urine cotinine levels were determined and mothers were queried about tobacco use. Eighteen cocaine-exposed moth er-infant dyads had higher lead and cotinine levels than 46 random non exposed dyads, regardless of reported cigarette smoking. Crude growth decrements in cocaine-exposed newborns were attenuated after control f or lead and cotinine. Future studies of gestational cocaine effects sh ould measure other toxic exposures with more precision.