This meta- analysis showed no significant impairments , at a non-conservative significance level of p < 0.05 , for cognitive , psychomotor or observed behavioural outcomes for chronic intra-uterine exposed infants and pre-school children compared to non-exposed infants and children .
However , all domains suggested a trend to poor outcomes in infants/children of opioid using mothers .
Conclusions Chronic intra-uterine opioid exposed infants and pre-school children experienced no significant impairment in neurobehavioral outcomes when compared to non-exposed peers , although in all domains there was a trend to poorer outcomes .
Background It is assumed within the accumulated literature that children born of pregnant opioid dependent mothers have impaired neurobehavioral function as a consequence of chronic intrauterine opioid use .
Maternal Smoking and Its Association With Birth Weight
OBJECTIVE : Maternal smoking has been associated with a reduction in  newborn birth weight .  We sought to estimate how the pattern of maternal smoking throughout pregnancy influences newborn size . METHODS : One hundred sixty pregnant smoking women were enrolled in a prospect i ve study . We collected data on maternal age , education , prepregnancy body mass index , and parity , as well as alcohol and illicit drug use . Cigarette use was defined as self-reported consumption before pregnancy , at the time of study enrollment , and in the third trimester . Statistical analyses were performed based on bivariate correlations and multiple linear regression . RESULTS : Of the smoking parameters examined , maternal third-trimester cigarette consumption was the strongest predictor of birth weight percentile ( partial r = –0.23 , P < .001 ) . For each additional cigarette per day that a participant smoked in the third trimester , there was an estimated 27 g reduction in birth weight . Prepregnancy smoking volume was not significantly associated with birth weight percentile in bivariate ( r = –0.06 , P = .47 ) or multivariable analyses . Additional factors contributing to birth weight include gestational age ( partial r = 0.69 , P < .001 ) , maternal body mass index ( partial r = 0.23 , P < .001 ) , and parity ( partial r = 0.16 , P < .004 ) . In total , these 4 variables explain 61 % of the variance in newborn birth weight . CONCLUSION : Maternal third-trimester cigarette consumption is a strong and independent predictor of birth weight percentile . This supports the hypothesis that reductions in maternal cigarette consumption during pregnancy will result in improved birth weight , regardless of the prepregnancy consumption levels . LEVEL OF EVIDENCE :
This meta- analysis showed no significant impairments , at a non-conservative significance level of p < 0.05 , for cognitive , psychomotor or observed behavioural outcomes for chronic intra-uterine exposed infants and pre-school children compared to non-exposed infants and children .
However , all domains suggested a trend to poor outcomes in infants/children of opioid using mothers .
Conclusions Chronic intra-uterine opioid exposed infants and pre-school children experienced no significant impairment in neurobehavioral outcomes when compared to non-exposed peers , although in all domains there was a trend to poorer outcomes .
Background It is assumed within the accumulated literature that children born of pregnant opioid dependent mothers have impaired neurobehavioral function as a consequence of chronic intrauterine opioid use .