Drug Analyses in Meconium

Drug abuse during pregnancy poses a serious threat to the normal development of the foetus. As the number of cases have been increased recently, it becomes more important to treat new-borns as quickly as possible. Meconium, the first stool after birth, can be used to detect a possible drug abuse of the mother during the 2^nd and 3^rd trimester reliably.

Using liquid chromatography (LC-MS/MS) the following drugs can be quantified:

Amphetamines/Methamphetamines
Benzodiazepines (incl. Z-Drugs)
Cannabinoids
Cocaine
Ketamine
Methadone
Opiates
Opioids

NOTE: Please send meconium samples immediately after collection to the lab. Drugs are stable in frozen samples (-15 °C) for up to nine months.

Further information on relevant topics

MPA Fitness to Drive

In most industrial countries if a driver loses his driving license as a result of drug or alcohol offense he has to prove abstinence for several months up to one year. The exact conditions of drug testing in urine or hair are different from country to country and depend on the individual situation.

Blood

Blood, serum or plasma are the matrices of choice for toxicological analyses if the objective is to assess the acute impact of a drug of abuse on a person.

Dried Blood Samples

Chromatographic drug analyses (LC-MS/MS) in capillary blood and DBS (dried blood samples) respectively are of increasing importance.

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