Has Cocaine Abuse Increased Perinatal Morbidity in Maternal Drug Addiction?

Complications from cocaine abuse during pregnancy have been reported; however, to attribute such complications to cocaine alone is difficult since polydrug abuse is common and drug usage by history is generally unreliable. Therefore, to determine cocaine effects on perinatal morbidity, we compared the perinatal outcome of a large population of pregnant addicts who delivered at our hospital in 1973-76 when cocaine was not abused, Group 1 (n = 830); in 1986-87 cocaine abuse was widespread, Group 2 (n = 242); and in a nondrug-dependent group, Control (n = 400). Drug addiction during pregnancy leads to high perinatal mortality and morbidity; cocaine abuse has further increased the overall morbidity.