Lony Castro | PubMed Health

PubMed2002

Substance abuse and polyhydramnios.

OBJECTIVE: Maternal drug use is known to have fetal central nervous system depressive effects as manifested by decreased biophysical profile scores. Drug effects on the amniotic fluid index (AFI), one variable of the biophysical profile, are not well documented. Our objective was to determine the effects of maternal drug use on the AFI. STUDY DESIGN: Over an 18-month period from July 1997 to December 1998, consecutive cases of women with toxicology-proven drug use during pregnancy were identified. AFI values and the rate of polyhydramnios in substance users were compared with those observed at our institution in more than 6400 patients undergoing ultrasound testing during the same period as the cases. RESULTS: Sixty-three toxicology-positive cases were identified. Although there was no significant difference between mean AFI values, the incidence of polyhydramnios (AFI >24 cm) was significantly higher in substance users (28.6%) than in control patients (3.9%) (P <.005). CONCLUSION: Maternal substance abuse is associated with a significantly higher incidence of polyhydramnios and should be considered a possible etiologic factor in women with apparent idiopathic polyhydramnios.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A comparison of standardized measures of psychosocial variables with single-item screening measures used in an urban obstetric clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To compare standardized, psychometrically sound measures of psychosocial variables and physical violence with single-item measures currently used for screening purposes in an obstetric clinic. STUDY DESIGN: Two hundred multiethnic women were interviewed during scheduled prenatal visits at an urban perinatal center. Participants previously completed a standard perinatal self-administered inventory, which included several single-item psychosocial questions. Medical and obstetric history, current risk factors, and intrapartum complications were collected from medical records. RESULTS: Correlational analyses indicated that single-item self-report measures were more appropriate for certain types of variables than for others. Specifically, for anxiety, depression, and social support, single-item measures were significantly correlated with standardized, psychometrically sound measures, whereas this was not true for stress and domestic violence. CONCLUSION: It may be appropriate to rely on self-reported single-item measures to detect some psychosocial risk factors in clinical settings for the purposes of referral. When assessing for domestic violence, single-item measures may not be adequate, as personal interviews using a standardized, psychometrically sound measure resulted in higher rates of reporting.

Adolescent↗