Phencyclidine and marijuana exposure in utero

Abstract The rate of illicit drug abuse during pregnancy has been on the increase in recent years. Intrauterine exposure to illicit drugs may be teratogenic to the fetus. We present a case of a pregnant woman with a history of marijuana and phencyclidine (PCP) abuse. After delivery, PCP was detected in her baby’s urine using both the screening immunoassay and confirmatory liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry techniques. Meconium sample was sent to a reference laboratory where it was analyzed by immunoassay with positive test results for PCP and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Exposure of fetuses to both THC and PCP may predispose them to intrauterine growth restriction, intrauterine fetal demise, and other fetal developmental defects.