Some Effects of Maternal Drug Addiction on the Neonate

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Abstract
The effect of in utero exposure to drugs of abuse on certain neurological and behavioral characteristics of the newborn was studied in 10 infants of drug-dependent mothers. Fourteen newborns of mothers not receiving drugs served as matched controls. Infants exposed to drugs of abuse during fetal life exhibited a high level of arousal and irritability, and extreme muscle tone fluctuations-i.e., a predominant hypertonicity (rigidity) alternating with short periods of a very low tone (flaccidity). These newborns were also highly active, tremulous, and motorically immature, and displayed near-constant crying and disturbed sleep patterns. However, their orientation to external stimuli and the findings on neurological examination were similar to those of control neonates.