Fetal Neurobehavior in Non-methadone Maintained Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

Overview

This study seeks to elucidate fetal neurobehavioral development in fetuses of opioid dependent women who have either undergone and completed methadone detoxification,or who never received methadone maintenance, and are not methadone maintained at 36 weeks gestation. This research will determine how fetal neurobehavioral functioning in fetuses of opioid dependent, non-methadone maintained women differs from that of fetuses whose opioid dependent mothers are methadone maintained. The project will utilize a state-of-the-art computerized fetal actocardiograph and data analysis program to simultaneously evaluate fetal movement and heart rate, the interaction between the two and maternal physiologic parameters.

This project examines fetal neurobehavior in non-methadone maintained, opioid dependent women. Subjects are outpatients at the Center for Addiction and Pregnancy on the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center campus, who are between the ages of 18 and 40, who have either completed a methadone detoxification prior to 32 weeks gestation and are on no opiate replacement therapy after 32 weeks gestation, or who have never received methadone maintenance, and are free of maternal or known fetal health complications. Women are consented at 32 weeks of gestation. During the four weeks between consent and fetal testing, women will be privately interviewed by project staff and administered the SCLR-90 (Symptom Checklist) ASRS (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale), and the PSD (Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale). These tools will be used to detect symptoms in different psychological domains (SCLR-90), ADHD (ASRS) and PTSD (PSD). At 36 weeks of gestation, women undergo fetal monitoring. Maternal demographic data (i.e. substance use history, pregnancy history, methadone dose, other medications) are abstracted from the maternal chart prior to each session. Women are asked a series of questions (the SOWS, or Subjective Opiate Withdrawal Scale and Adjective Questionnaire), via standardized questionnaires used to detect the presence or absence of withdrawal symptomatology prior to each session. Women will undergo two 60 minute fetal monitoring sessions on this day. The timing of the two sessions is such that it will provide two historical control groups. The first session will occur at 9 AM. The second session will occur at 1 P.M. The use of two fetal testing times will alleviate the problem of fetal circadian rhythms which would otherwise confound one or the other groups. The data acquisition is performed using a standard fetal monitoring system (Toitu 325). Data recorded include fetal movements and fetal heart rate. Additional data to be recorded include maternal EKG via 3 electrodes placed on the maternal chest (right mid sub-clavicle, left mid-axillary thorax) and upper left thigh (for ground lead), maternal respirations via a bellows apparatus attached around the maternal chest beneath the breasts, maternal contractions via the same transducer that detects fetal movement and fetal heart rate, and maternal skin conductance, or electrodermal activity via two electrodes with a gelled skin contact area placed on the index and middle fingers of one hand affixed with adhesive collars to limit gel contact to a 1 cm circle, and velcro. This maternal data will be time synchronized and analyzed in conjunction with fetal data. Also planned is the observation of fetal response to externally applied sound (a baby rattle). At the conclusion of the 60 minute session, an additional 6 minute recording will be added, with three sound stimuli at 1 minute intervals. Infants will undergo neurobehavioral testing on day #3 of life. This testing consists of the administration of the NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (the NNNS), a standardized 30-minute harmless and painless evaluation of the infant's motor, sensory and neurologic capabilities. The exam evaluates the infant's responses to auditory and visual stimuli, as well as movement, reflexes, signs of stress and consolability. Infants will also undergo an assessment for vagal tone on the first and third days of life. This assessment will involve obtaining 8-10 minutes of resting heart rate via 3 standard infant EKG leads while the infant is in a quiet state. The EKG leads will be connected directly to a Physio-control EKG monitor (R wave Medical Electronics of Florida). This reading is then transmitted to a vagal tone monitor (Delta Biometrics, Inc.) and computer for data storage and off-line analysis. Software will be used to computer heart period and vagal tone measures. All fetal testing procedures obtained as part of this protocol are experimental; none are used for clinical purposes. Women consenting to participation will continue to receive routine care at CAP. Participants will be removed from the protocol if they should relapse to any licit or illicit substance between the time of consent (32 weeks gestation) and the time of fetal testing (36 weeks gestation).