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Assessing the relationship between maternal cocaine use and abruptio placentae
G K Hulse1, E Milne, D R English
1Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Australia, Australia. ghulse@uniwa.uwa.edu.au
Abruptio placentae during pregnancy can result in significant morbidity and mortality to both mother and infant. A comprehensive literature search of publications from 1966 to April 1995 identified 11 studies on the association between maternal cocaine use and abruptio placentae. Their results were combined in a meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio for abruptio placentae and maternal cocaine use was 3.92 (95% confidence interval 2.77-5.46). The strength and consistency of the association, its biological plausibility and the results of experimental studies in animals all suggest that cocaine use during pregnancy causes abruptio placentae.
Abruptio placentae during pregnancy can result in significant morbidity and mortality to both mother and infant. A comprehensive literature search of publications from 1966 to April 1995 identified 11 studies on the association between maternal cocaine use and abruptio placentae. Their results were combined in a meta-analysis. The pooled odds ratio for abruptio placentae and maternal cocaine use was 3.92 (95% confidence interval 2.77-5.46). The strength and consistency of the association, its biological plausibility and the results of experimental studies in animals all suggest that cocaine use during pregnancy causes abruptio placentae.