Pregnancy in maltese drug-abusers: a socio-biological study

The use of illicit drugs has increased disturbingly in the last decades, this increase being reflected by an increase in the number of female drug abusers who present in the pregnant state. A total of 47 cases of current or past heroine abuse (0.24% of total maternities) were delivered at the Karin Grech Maternity Unit of St. Luke's Teaching Hospital in Malta. The socio-biological characteristics of these women were assessed and compared to similar parameters in the remaining pregnant population. These women have been shown to be generally of a younger age <25 years and are generally unmarried. The women tend to seek antenatal care late in pregnancy. Their associated medical problems include Hepatitis C infection. There also appeared to be a statistically increased predisposition to pre-existing diabetes. There did not appear to be any statistically significant increased risks to the infant, though there may have been a greater predisposition to low birth weight and prematurity.