PEDIATRICS Vol. 89 No. 1 January 1992, pp. 67-77
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Analysis of Facial Shape in Children Gestationally Exposed to Marijuana, Alcohol, and/or Cocaine

Susan J. Astley PhD1, Sterling K. Clarren MD1, Ruth E. Little ScD1, Paul D. Sampson PhD1, and Janet R. Daling PhD1

1 From the Division of Embryology, Teratology and Congenital Defects, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle

The association between fetal marijuana and/or alcohol exposure and facial features resembling fetal alcohol syndrome was investigated in a sample of 80 children. Standardized lateral and frontal facial photographs were taken of 40 children, 5 to 7 years of age, whose mothers reported frequent use of marijuana during the first trimester of pregnancy and 40 children whose mothers reported no use of marijuana during pregnancy. The marijuana-exposed and unexposed children were group-matched on alcohol exposure prior to and during pregnancy, sex, race, and age at the time of assessment. The photographs were assessed clinically by a study staff dysmorphologist and morphometrically by computerized landmark analysis. Fetal alcohol syndrome-like facial features were not associated with prenatal marijuana exposure in this study sample. No consistent patterns of facial features were identified among the marijuana-exposed group. Maternal consumption of two or more ounces of alcohol per day, on average, in early gestation was found to be associated with fetal alcohol syndrome-like facial features identified both clinically and morphometrically. Cocaine use reported by 13 of the 80 women was independently associated with mild facial dysmorphic features of hypertelorism and midfacial flattening. The results demonstrate the usefulness of this diagnostic technique for quantifying anomalies apparently unique to fetal alcohol syndrome and for targeting clusters of anomalies in new conditions for future evaluation.

Key Words: marijuana • cocaine • alcohol • facial morphology • fetal alcohol syndrome • fetal exposure

Submitted on October 23, 1990
Accepted on February 23, 1991




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M. Behnke, F. D. Eyler, C. W. Garvan, and K. Wobie
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[Abstract] [Full Text]