Abstract:
Aims: To examine the obstetric and perinatal outcomes for women with a drug-related hospital admission during
pregnancy. Design: Antenatal and birth admissions to New South Wales (NSW) hospitals from the NSW Inpatient
Statistics Collection were linked to birth information from the NSW Midwives Data Collection over a 5-year period
(1998-2002). Measurements: Birth admissions were flagged as positive for drug use where a birth admission or any
pregnancy admission for that birth involved an opioid, cannabis or stimulant-related International Classification of
Diseases version 10 Australian modification (lCD-lOAM) code. Findings: A total of 416 834 live births were analysed
over a 5-year period (1998-2002). Of these, 1974 pregnancies had an opioid rCD-10AM diagnosis recorded, 552
a stimulant-related lCD-lOAM and 2172 a cannabis rCD-10AM diagnosis. Births in each of the drug groups were to
women who were younger, had a higher number of previous pregnancies, were indigenous, smoked heavily and were
not privately insured. These women also presented later in their pregnancy to antenatal services and were more likely
to arrive at hospital unbooked. Neonates born to women in each of the drug groups were more likely to be premature
and were admitted to neonatal intensive care and special care nursery more often with neonates born to women in the
opioid group admitted most often. Conclusions: Linked population level administrative data is a powerful method for
examining the maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with the use of specific illicit drugs during pregnancy.
