Fetal Drug Exposure Flashcards
What can have profound effects on the developing fetus?
in utero exposure to legal and ilicit drugs
When, and under what circumstances, does a newborn undergo physical withdrawal?
- only with certain drugs
- if the mother consumes close to the time of labor
For a newborn to experience physical withdrawal, when does the mom have to consume the drug?
close to the time of labor
How are drugs distributed throughout the body?
via blood
What allows the mother to share blood supply with the developing fetus?
the placenta, thanks to the umbilical cord
What is the placenta’s purpose?
It is a biological filter
Regarding the placenta, what is the issue with using drugs while pregnant?
- many drugs can cross through the placenta
- some evidence that certain drugs and metabolites can’t leave the placenta
In what form can drugs cross through the placenta?
either intact or as metabolites
The developing brain contains the same receptors as the adult brain. T/F
True
Why does the mother using drugs affect the developing fetus?
Because the developing brain contains the same receptors as the adult brain:
* drugs affect behavior in utero
* drugs lead to neuroadaptations in adults, and so they will can also lead to neuroadaptation in the developing fetus
What are the reproductive effects of caffeine in animals?
- congenital (at birth) abnormalities
- reproductive failures
- premature births
- low birth weight
Pregnant women are advised that it is okay to drink caffeine (T/F)
false
Why are pregnant women advised to restrict caffeine?
Researchers are unsure if findings are relevant to the use of ordinary amounts of caffeine-containing beverages by pregnant women
What does tobacco use during pregnancy increase the risk of?
- premature birth
- low birth weight
- miscarriage
- still birth
What are the long-term behavioral effects associated with tobacco use during pregnancy?
- disturbed maternal-infant interaction
- ADHD
- conduct disorder/aggression/antisocial behavior
- tobacco use and dependence
2016 US Data from CDC
What percent of women who gave birth smoked during pregnancy?
7.2%
2016 US Data from CDC
What ages have the highest prevalence rates of smoking during pregnancy?
- Ages 20-24
- Ages 15-19
- Ages 25-29
2016 US Data from CDC
What percent of 15-19 year olds smoke during pregnancy?
8.5%
2016 US Data from CDC
What percent of 20-24 year olds smoke during pregnancy?
10.7%
2016 US Data from CDC
What percent of 25-29 year olds smoke during pregnancy?
8.2%
2016 US Data from CDC
What level of education has the highest rates of smoking while pregnancy?
Women with a high school education
What percent of women vape during pregnancy?
1.2-7%
What happens when women smoke and use birth control pills?
They are especially vulnerable (39x) to suffer from stroke and other circulatory disease
What does smoking weed during pregnancy increase the risk of?
- childhood cancer
- premature birth
What are the teratogenic effects of weed consumption?
- reduced fetal growth
- reduced head circumference
- decreased inner-diameter of aorta
What are the long-term behavioral effects of smoking? Impairs…
- high order executive function
- attention
- visual memory
- impulsivity
What neuroadaptation occurs to the fetus as a result of weed use during pregnancy?
reduction in DA D2 receptors
NSDUH -2016 to 2017 rates
What percent of pregnant women used weed in the past month?
7%
NSDUH 2016-2017 Rates
What percent of pregnant women smoke weed in the first trimester?
12.1%
How did COVID impact weed use during pregnancy?
Increased from 6.75% (before covid) to 8.14% (after covid)
What terms are given to babies when they were exposed to cocaine in utero?
- crack baby
- jittery baby syndrome
What happens to a pregnant mother using cocaine due to the drug’s sympathomimetic effects?
vasoconstriction
What happens due to vasocontriction from cocaine use in pregnant women?
decreased blood flow, which decreases oxygen to placenta and baby
What can happen as a result of decreased oxygen flow to placenta and baby with cocaine use by mother?
- placental detachment
- fetal death
- low birth weight
- preterm labor
What are the direct effects of mother using coke to the fetus?
Neonatal Neurological Syndrome, which includes:
* poor sleeping
* poor feeding
* tremors/seizures
What are the long-term behavioral effects that can happen from cocaine use during pregnancy?
- ADHD/ other learnnig disabilities
- Difficults dealing with multiple stimuli at onece
- difficulty with unstructured situations
What are the prenatal neuroadaptations that occur as a result of cocaine use? (PFC BDNF study)
- Embyonic: less BDNF than controls
- Juvenile: more BDNF than controls (women much higher than males)
- Adult: more BDNF than controls (especially with men)
Do healthy women or men have more BDNF?
women
How does brain activity change for controls vs those who were prenatally exposed to coke?
- Brain activity decreases for controls over time
- Brain activity increases for cocaine exposed overtime
What disorder occurs due to opioid use during pregnancy?
Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS)
previously called NAS
What is the rate of NOWS? How has it changed?
- rates dramatically increased due to increased opioid abuse
- now at 7% (2019)
What are the symptoms of NOWS?
- similar to those of opioid withdrawal in adults
- irritability/crying
- anxiety
- abnominal distress
- strabismus
What are the long-term behavioral effects associated with opioid use during pregnancy?
- cognitive function delay
- anxiety
- aggression
- disruptive/inattentive behavior
not well known!
What are the neuroadaptations associated with opioid exposure in utero? Which sex experiences this worse?
- impaired working memory
- reduced neurogenesis
much worse in females (practically sex-specific)
