NCJ Number
158401
Journal
Journal of the American Medical Association Volume: 266 Issue: 11 Dated: (September 18, 1991) Pages: 1521-1526
Date Published
1991
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study compared a sample of 355 cocaine-exposed infants with 199 control infants to determine the added neonatal cost and length of hospital stay associated with fetal drug exposure.
Abstract
Regression analysis was used to control for the independent effects of maternal age, smoking, alcohol consumption, prenatal care, race, gravidity, and infant gender. The results showed that neonatal hospital bills, from birth until discharge, totaled $5,200 more for cocaine-exposed infants than for nonexposed infants. The costs associated with infants' remaining in the hospital nursery until home and social evaluation occurred or until they were placed in foster care increased this difference by more than $3,500. Fetal exposure to crack increased this cost differential more than exposure to other forms of cocaine. Exposure to other illicit drugs in addition to cocaine was also associated with larger cost increases. 4 tables and 22 references