Ultrasonic growth parameters in fetuses of mothers with primary addiction to cocaine

Sixty-seven women with primary addiction to cocaine were evaluated during their pregnancies by multiple ultrasound studies. Ultrasonic parameters included biparietal diameter, femur length, abdominal circumference, and head circumference. These values were compared with ultrasonic growth parameters in nonaddicted fetuses. Head and abdominal circumference data were used to evaluate the fetuses according to growth pattern. With this system of scoring, subtleties of asymmetric versus symmetric intrauterine growth retardation become apparent. In addition, birth weights of addicted infants were compared with birth weights of nonaddicted infants. The results suggest that, although statistically significant differences in birth weights cannot be demonstrated, abnormal growth of the addicted fetuses does occur. Addicted fetuses show a greater proportion of biparietal diameter and abdominal circumference values below the 50th and 25th percentiles than nonaddicted fetuses, and addicted fetuses more frequently exhibit intrauterine growth retardation patterns. These data suggest that it is fruitful to study these infants with near-normal size but with abnormal intrauterine growth patterns.