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Recreational drugs and fetal gastroschisis: maternal hair analysis in the peri-conceptional period and during pregnancy.

Morrison JJ, Chitty LS, Peebles D, Rodeck CH

Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College London Medical School, London, UK.

OBJECTIVE: To objectively measure individual recreational drug groups in maternal hair samples timed for the period of conception and different stages of pregnancy in expectant mothers with a diagnosis of fetal gastroschisis. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: Tertiary level Fetal Medicine Unit in a University teaching hospital. POPULATION: Pregnant women with a diagnosis of fetal gastroschisis (n= 22) and a control group of women (n= 25) with a normal fetus. METHODS: Hair samples were cut from the vertex of the head of expectant mothers with a diagnosis of fetal gastroschisis and a matched control group in whom the fetus was normal. The samples were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for individual drug groups. Confirmatory tests using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GCMS) were used. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Presence of recreational drug compounds in hair samples. RESULTS: In the group with fetal gastroschisis there were four proven positive cases for recreational drug abuse (18%) and there were none in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of recreational drug use in the peri-conceptional period and the first trimester by expectant mothers with a diagnosis of fetal gastroschisis is 18%. This association may be linked to the recent increase in the incidence of gastroschisis among younger mothers.

Published 27 July 2005 in BJOG, 112(8): 1022-5.
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