Abstract
A 35-year-old woman was found with disturbance of consciousness in a park. Because empty cartridges were found near the woman, drug overdose was suspected and she was admitted to our emergency room. We discovered that she was 37 weeks pregnant and had been missing from her home because of fear of giving birth. Labor progress was confirmed by gynecological examination, and an emergency cesarean section was performed because she was due. The newborn infant showed absence of spontaneous breathing and was therefore intubated and mechanically ventilated. One day after birth, the neonate showed spontaneous breathing and was extubated. Twenty-two days after birth, he was discharged without any complications or drug withdrawal symptoms. Later, we found abnormally high serum Zolpidem levels in the mother and her newborn infant. Therefore, we diagnosed them with Zolpidem intoxication. Although usage of Zolpidem is relatively safe during pregnancy, its overdose and thus intoxication, as reported here, may affect the fetus. We should consider that if a pregnant woman is diagnosed with drug intoxication, the fetus also gets intoxicated. If toxic symptoms appear in the mother, the child will show more toxic symptoms.
