Addiction Among Mothers Referring to Medico-Legal Centers in Fars for Legal Abortion due to Fetal Causes: A Seven- Year Review

Abstract

<strong>Background:</strong> Substance abuse results in multiple complications for both the mother and the fetus during pregnancy. <strong>Objectives:</strong> The present study aimed at evaluating the frequency of mothers' addiction in legal abortion with fetal causes in Fars forensic centers. <strong>Methods:</strong> This was a descriptive-analytical study with a sample size of 1664. The data including demographic characteristics, obstetric variables, and causes of fetal abortion were recorded. The data were analyzed by SPSS16, using analysis of the mean, median, and chi square test. <strong>Results:</strong> The rate of addiction was reported to be 40.7% in the study population. This study estimated the prevalence of cigarette smoking, drugs, alcohol and other chemical substances as 31.9%, 5.9%, and 2.9%, respectively. Mother addiction had a significant association with maternal age (P ≤ 0/001). Mothers of babies with genetic defects smoked cigarette (63.7%), used narcotics (64.8%), and alcohol and other drugs (63.9%). <strong>Conclusions:</strong> Cigarette was the most common addiction in mothers. Thus, promoting mothers' awareness and knowledge should be an educational priority.