Preliminary evidence for a cocaine-induced embryopathy in mice

The current dramatic increase in illicit cocaine use by individuals during their reproductive years has heightened concerns over the possible adverse effects of maternal cocaine abuse during pregnancy. To address such concerns, the teratogenic effects of cocaine hydrochloride were investigated in two inbred mouse strains (SWV and DBA/2J). The drug was administered on either Gestational Days 6-8 or 8-10 by intraperitoneal injection, and the progeny examined on Gestational Day 18. While treatment with increasing concentrations of the drug did not adversely affect the rates of implantation, resorption, maternal weight gain, or fetal weights, there was a dose-related effect on the frequency of congenital malformations. This was consistently observed in both mouse strains. The types of congenital defects observed in the mouse fetuses bore a striking similarity to those reported in the clinical literature, including cardiovascular defects, limb abnormalities, and genitourinary malformations.