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Low Birth Weight and Preterm Births: Etiologic Fraction Attributable to Prenatal Drug Exposure

Journal of Perinatology volume 25, pages 631–637 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To determine the factors that would increase the likelihood of outcomes: low birth weight (LBW), preterm births and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

STUDY DESIGN:

Secondary data analysis from a multi-center study. Risk factors for each outcome were derived from logistic regression models. Odds ratios (OR), 95% confidence intervals, and population-attributable risk proportions (PAR%) were estimated.

RESULTS:

Prenatal cocaine exposure increased the likelihood of LBW (OR: 3.59), prematurity (OR: 1.25), and IUGR (OR: 2.24). Tobacco, but not marijuana, significantly influenced these outcomes. Alcohol had an effect on LBW and IUGR. Etiologic fractions (PAR%) attributable to tobacco for LBW, prematurity, and IUGR were 5.57, 3.66, and 13.79%, respectively. With additional drug exposure including cocaine, estimated summary PAR% increased to 7.20% (LBW), 5.68% (prematurity), and 17.96% (IUGR).

CONCLUSION:

Disease burden for each outcome increases with each added drug exposure; however, etiologic fraction attributable to tobacco is greater than for cocaine.

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Acknowledgements

The study was carried out with support from NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development through cooperative agreements and interagency agreement with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). Participating Institutions, grant awards, investigators, and key research personnel include: Brown University, U10 HD 27904, N01-HD-2-3159 (Barry M. Lester, PhD; Susan Schibler, RN; Melissa Ambrosia, RN; Linda LaGasse, PhD); University of Miami, U10 HD 21397 (Charles R. Bauer, MD; Wendy Griffin, RN; Elizabeth Jacque, RN); University of Tennessee, U10 HD 21415 (Henrietta S. Bada, MD; Marilyn Williams, MSW; Tina Hudson, BSN), Wayne State University, U10 HD 21385 (Seetha Shankaran, MD; Eunice Woldt, MSN, Jay Ann Nelson, BSN), RTI, International, U01 HD 36790 (W. Kenneth Poole, PhD; Abhik Das, PhD; Jane Hammond, PhD); NICHD (Linda L. Wright, MD; Rosemary Higgins, MD) and NIDA (Vincent L. Smeriglio, PhD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics (H.S.B.), College of Medicine and College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Henrietta S Bada MD, MPH

  2. Research Triangle Institute International (A.D., C.C.G.), Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    Abhik Das PhD & Charlotte C Gard MS

  3. Department of Pediatrics (C.R.B.), University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA

    Charles R Bauer MD

  4. Department of Pediatrics (S.S.), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA

    Seetha Shankaran MD

  5. Department of Pediatrics (B.M.L., L.L.), Brown University Medical School, Providence, RI, USA

    Barry M Lester PhD & Linda LaGasse PhD

  6. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (L.L.W., R.H.), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Linda L Wright MD & Rosemary Higgins MD

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  1. Henrietta S Bada MD, MPH
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Bada, H., Das, A., Bauer, C. et al. Low Birth Weight and Preterm Births: Etiologic Fraction Attributable to Prenatal Drug Exposure. J Perinatol 25, 631–637 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211378

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