Premature births linked to tik?

Health officials say there's been an increase in the number of pregnant women in Cape Town who are hooked on tik.

Johan Smit, a neonatalogist at Tygerberg Hospital, said staff at the neonatal unit had seen a "year-on-year rise" for the last six years in premature births which could be related to the increased number of pregnant women using tik.

"Babies exposed to tik have a higher risk of brain haemorrhage... depending on the severity it will impact on the long-term development of the child," said Smit.

A 2006 study at Tygerberg Hospital showed that out of 100 pregnant mothers surveyed, 10 admitted to using tik.

Smit said tik also affected the development of the gut and doctors had difficulty feeding premature babies via tubes to the stomach.

"Babies (of tik-addicted mothers) tend to be smaller and lighter than similar premature babies," said Smit.

He said the Medical Research Council (MRC) was best equipped to conduct epidemiological research into tik and its effect on mother and child.

Bronwyn Myers, a senior MRC researcher, said there was a "definite increase" in the numbers of young pregnant women using tik.

She said there was also a strong correlation between drug abuse on the Cape Flats and increased risky sexual behaviour.

"They are less likely to use condoms, more likely to have multiple sexual partners and less likely to negotiate condom usage with their partners," said Myers.

Lucy Linley, head of the neonatal unit at the Mowbray Maternity Hospital, said there was a "massive problem of denial" among pregnant women admitted to the hospital who displayed clear signs of abusing tik.

Linley said there had been no "decent" study into the effects of tik abuse on new-born babies although there was general consensus on its harmful impact.

A nurse, who spoke on condition that her name was not published, said it was very difficult to get information about drug abuse from pregnant women.

Greg Gonsalves of the Aids and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa said tik, like most recreational drugs, increased risky behaviours among users, exacerbating HIV-infection rates.

Cape Town's executive director for city health, Ivan Toms, said HIV data in Mitchells Plain, which has a high record of tik users, was constantly fluctuating.

He said it was difficult to get anti-drug messages across to mothers abusing tik. - Cape Times