4.+Physical+Effects

=The physical effects of cocaine use during pregnancy =

Negative physical effects are prominent in infants exposed to cocaine in-utero. The effects come in the form of withdrawal symptoms, growth, head size, and specific abnormalities that will be discussed.

__ Withdrawal Symptoms __
Following the birth, withdrawal symptoms are experienced in 31 percent of newborns exposed to cocaine in utero (Plumbo, 1999). These can include symptoms such as seizures, depression, feeding problems, sensitive reflexes, vomiting, diarrhea, high-pitched cry, and restlessness.

Fulroth, Phillips, & Durand (1989) examined 35 infants and observed signs of withdrawal in all infants, with severe withdrawal effecting 6% of the babies. Plumbo (1999) says that these symptoms can indicate damage to the central nervous system that may prevail throughout life.

__ Growth & Head Size __
Peg Plumbo (1999) claims that the most frequent consequences to the fetus of in utero cocaine exposure are intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and low birth weight. She says that low birth weight (under five pounds) occurs in 22 to 34 percent of all infants exposed to cocaine in utero. In line with these observations, the authors Fulroth, Phillips, & Durand (1989) conducted a study to examine physical effects of cocaine (among other drugs) on infants. Of the 35 babies who were born from cocaine-addicted mothers, 17% had a small head, and 27% suffered from growth retardation.

Agreeing with this assessment,Scafidi et al. (1996) examined the physical effects of early cocaine exposure. They observed that infants, when exposed to cocaine in-utero, had smaller head sizes at birth compared to those not exposed to cocaine.

There is evidence that these negative effects on growth can persist into childhood. The authors Richardson, Goldschmidt and Larkby (2007) completed a longitudinal study, investigating the long-term effects on infant growth when they are exposed to cocaine in-utero, from ages 1 through 10. They examined the children at ages 1, 3, 7 and 10, and found that children exposed to cocaine during their first trimester were smaller not at ages 1 and 3, but at ages 7 and 10, later in life. Over time, they observed that the children prenatally exposed to cocaine suffer long-term effects on their growth.

The authors of this same study also performed physical examinations on 70 children with cocaine exposure in utero. Using standardized tests, the children displayed low growth parameters compared to what was normal. Overall, there seems to be a general agreement that early cocaine exposure can negatively effect infant head size and infant growth, both short and long term.

Other studies have looked at more specific physical effects of cocaine on infants exposed in-utero. For example, Dominguex, Villa-Coro, Slopis, & Bohan (1991) found increased muscle tone and spasticity in most infants exposed to cocaine. All infants also had poor coordination of their bodies, including poor head control. The infants also displayed severe eye problems, including poor focus, poor fixation, or even blindness.

Congenital anomalies have been found to occur in 7 to 26 percent of infants exposed to cocaine in utero (Plumbo, 1999). Cocaine can also cause problems with embryonic and fetal development through interruption of uterine, placental, and fetal blood flow (Plumbo, 1999). Peg Plumbo (1999) also mentioned that there is evidence of brain malformation or hemorrhage in approximately 35 percent of infants exposed to cocaine in utero.

 This wide array of physical effects, including the observations about withdrawal, head size, and growth mentioned above, are frightening for children exposed prenatally to cocaine.