Abstract
Reports of cocaine-related obstetrical problems, including abruptio placentae and spontaneous abortion, have become increasingly evident in the medical literature; however, little is known about tissue distribution of cocaine in the pregnant woman. We report the toxicologic results of distribution studies performed on a pregnant woman and her fetus. Maternal/fetal cocaine concentration ratios were high when comparing blood (9:1), brain (6:5), and kidney (10:6). Possible explanations of the mechanism for lower fetal cocaine concentrations may include uterine vasoconstriction, incomplete maternal/fetal equalibration, or rapid placental, fetal clearance.
Issue Section:
Research Papers
References
1.
Chasnoff
, I. J.
, Burns
, W. J.
, Schnoll
, S. H.
, and Burns
, K. A.
, “Cocaine Use in Pregnancy
,” New England Journal of Medicine
0028-4793, Vol. 313
, No. 11
, 09
1985
, pp. 666
-669
.2.
Acker
, D.
, Sachs
, B. P.
, Tracey
, K. J.
, and Wise
, W. E.
, “Abruptio Placentae Associated with Cocaine Use
,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
0002-9378, Vol. 146
, No. 2
, 05
1983
, pp. 220
-221
.3.
Bingol
, N.
, Fuchs
, M.
, Diaz
, V.
, Stone
, R. K.
, and Gromish
, D. S.
, “Teratogenicity of Cocaine in Humans
,” Journal of Pediatrics
, Vol. 110
, No. 1
, 01
1987
, pp. 93
-96
.4.
Smith
, J. E.
and Deitch
, K. V.
, “Cocaine: A Maternal, Fetal and Neonatal Risk
,” Journal of Pediatric Health Care
0891-5245, Vol. 1
, No. 3
, May/June 1987, pp. 120
-124
.5.
Cregler
, L. L.
and Mark
, H.
, “Medical Complications of Cocaine Abuse
,” New England Journal of Medicine
0028-4793, Vol. 315
, No. 23
, 12
1986
, pp. 1495
-1500
.6.
Le Blanc
, P. E.
, Parekh
, A. J.
, Naso
, B.
, and Glass
, L.
, “Effects of Intrauterine Exposure to Alkaloidal Cocaine (‘Crack’) (Letter)
,” American Journal of Diseases of Children
0002-922X, Vol. 141
, No. 9
, 09
1987
, pp. 937
-938
.7.
Teske
, M. P.
and Trese
, M. T.
, “Retinopathy of Prematurity-like Fundus and Persistent Hyperplastic Primary Vitreous Associated with Maternal Cocaine Use (Letter)
,” American Journal of Opthalmology
, Vol. 103
, No. 5
, 05
1987
, pp. 719
-720
.8.
Hall
, J. H.
, “Impact of Mother's Cocaine Use
,” Street Pharmacologist
(Up Front, Inc.), Vol. 11
, No. 10
, 10
1987
, p. 1.9.
Madden
, J. D.
, Payne
, T. F.
, and Miller
, S.
, “Maternal Cocaine Abuse and Effect on the Newborn
,” Pediatrics
0031-4005, Vol. 77
, No. 2
, 02
1986
, pp. 209
-210
.10.
Oro
, A. S.
and Dixon
, S. D.
, “Perinatal Cocaine and Methamphetamine Exposure: Meternal and Neonatal Correlates
,” Journal of Pediatrics
, Vol. 111
, No. 4
, 10
1987
, pp. 571
-577
.11.
Baselt
, R. C.
, Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man
. Biomedical Publications
, Davis, CA
, 1982
, pp. 193
-198
.12.
Mittleman
, R. E.
and Wetli
, C. V.
, “Death Caused by Recreational Cocaine Use
,” JAMA
, Vol. 252
, No. 14
, 10
1984
, pp. 1889
-1893
.13.
Poklis
, A.
, Maginn
, D.
, and Barr
, J. L.
, “Tissue Disposition of Cocaine in Man: A Report of Five Fatal Poisonings
,” Forensic Science International
0379-0738, Vol. 33
, No. 2
, 02
1987
, pp. 83
-88
.14.
Poklis
, A.
, Mackell
, M. A.
, and Graham
, M.
, “Disposition of Cocaine in Fatal Poisoning in Man
,” Journal of Analytical Toxicology
0146-4760, Vol. 9
, No. 5
, Sept./Oct. 1985, pp. 227
-229
.15.
Lundberg
, G. D.
, Garriott
, J. C.
, Reynolds
, P. C.
, Cravey
, R. H.
, and Shaw
, R. F.
, “Cocaine-Related Death
,” Journal of Forensic Sciences
0022-1198, Vol. 22
, No. 2
, 04
1977
, pp. 402
-408
.16.
Di Maio
, V. J. M.
and Garriott
, J. C.
, “Four Deaths due to Intravenous Injection of Cocaine
,” Forensic Science International
0379-0738, Vol. 12
, No. 2
, Sept./Oct. 1978, pp. 119
-125
.17.
Bednarczyk
, L. R.
, Gressman
, E. A.
, and Wymer
, R. L.
, “Two Cocaine-Induced Fatalities
,” Journal of Analytical Toxicology
0146-4760, Vol. 4
, No. 5
, Sept./Oct. 1980, pp. 263
-265
.18.
Spiehler
, V. R.
and Reed
, D.
, “Brain Concentrations of Cocaine and Benzoylecgonine in Fatal Cases
,” Journal of Forensic Sciences
0022-1198, Vol. 30
, No. 4
, 10
1985
, pp. 1003
-1011
.19.
Shah
, N. S.
, May
, D. A.
, and Yates
, J. D.
, “Disposition of Levo-[3H] Cocaine in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Mice
,” Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
0041-008X, Vol. 53
, No. 2
, 04
1980
, pp. 279
-284
.20.
Rosenfeld
, C. R.
and West
, J.
, “Circulatory Response to Systemic Infusion of Norepinephrine in the Pregnant Ewe
,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
0002-9378, Vol. 127
, No. 4
, 02
1977
, pp. 376
-383
.21.
Woods
, J. R.
, Plessinger
, M. A.
, and Clark
, K. E.
, “Effect of Cocaine on Uterine Blood Flow and Fetal Oxygenation
,” JAMA
, Vol. 257
, No. 7
, 02
1987
, pp. 957
-961
.22.
Szeto
, H. H.
, Mann
, L. I.
, Bhakthavathsalan
, A.
, Liu
, M.
, and Inturrisi
, C. E.
, “Meperidine Pharmacokinetics in the Maternal Fetal Unit
,” Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
0022-3565, Vol. 206
, No. 2
, 08
1978
, pp. 448
-459
.23.
Szeto
, H. H.
, Clapp
, J. F.
, III, Larrow
, R. W.
, Hewitt
, J.
, Inturrisi
, C. E.
, and Mann
, L. I.
, “Disposition of Methadone in the Bovine Maternal-Fetal Unit
,” Life Sciences
0024-3205. Vol. 28
, No. 19
, 05
1981
, pp. 2111
-2117
.24.
Szeto
, H. H.
, Umans
, J. G.
, and McFarland
, J.
, “A Comparison of Morphine and Methadone Disposition in the Maternal-Fetal Unit
,” American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
0002-9378, Vol. 143
, No. 6
, 07
1982
, pp. 700
-706
.25.
Braude
, M. C.
, Szeto
, H. H.
, Kuhn
, C. M.
, Bero
, L.
, Ignar
, D.
, et al, “Perinatal Effects of Drugs of Abuse
,” Federation Proceedings
0014-9446, Vol. 46
, No. 7
, 05
1987
, pp. 2446
-2453
.
This content is only available via PDF.
All rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced or copied, in whole or in part, in any printed, mechanical, electronic, film, or other distribution and storage media, without the written consent of ASTM International.
You do not currently have access to this content.
