Congenital abnormalities in children of 43 pregnant women who attempted suicide with large doses of nitrazepam.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the teratogenic effect of very large doses of nitrazepam in children born to pregnant women who attempted suicide and to check the feasibility of self-poisoning pregnant women model.

DESIGN AND SETTING:

Comparative analysis of exposed children and their unexposed sibs born to the same mothers who attempted suicide during the study pregnancy and admitted to the toxicological inpatients clinic, Budapest, 1960-1993.

STUDY PARTICIPANTS:

Of 1044 pregnant women who attempted suicide, 107 (10.3%) used large doses of nitrazepam alone or combination with other drugs, and 43 delivered live-born babies, these exposed children were evaluated.

MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURES:

Structural birth defects, i.e., congenital abnormalities (CAs), pregnancy age at delivery, and birth weight.

RESULTS:

The mean dose of nitrazepam used for suicide attempt was 204 mg. Of 43 exposed children, 13 (30.2%) were affected with CAs, while of their 29 sib controls, 3 (10.3%) (OR with 95%CI: 3.8, 1.0-14.6). Most CAs in exposed children were mild and belonged to the deformation type. The mean pregnancy age was shorter.

CONCLUSIONS:

The very large doses of nitrazepam used for suicide attempt during pregnancy resulted in a high rate of CAs which may be connected with the disruption of protein metabolism in fetal mesenchyma. The self-poisoning pregnant women model is feasible for the evaluation of teratogenic effect of drugs.

• Authors: János Gidai, Nándor Acs, Ferenc Bánhidy, Andrew E Czeizel
• Journal: Pharmacoepidemiology and drug safety (Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Saf) Vol. 19 Issue 2 Pg. 175-82 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 1099-1557 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19998314 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Anxiety Agents
• Nitrazepam

Topics

• Abnormalities, Drug-Induced
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Anti-Anxiety Agents (poisoning)
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Female
• Fetal Development (drug effects)
• Humans
• Infant
• Male
• Models, Biological
• Nitrazepam (poisoning)
• Pregnancy
• Suicide, Attempted