NCJ Number
153767
Date Published
1993
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This review of research on drug abuse and birth defects concludes that pregnant women should avoid prescription medications not prescribed by a physician, avoid other nonprescription medications, limit intake of caffeine, and avoid alcohol or tobacco.
Abstract
A variety of substances that are not necessary nutrients are consumed during pregnancy and may have a profound outcome of the health of the baby. Nicotine and alcohol, the two most widely abused and legal drugs, are known to be teratogenic. Much less is known about the other substances of abuse, such as marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and other opiates. However, the adverse effects of cocaine on pregnancy outcome include growth retardation, malformations such as microcephaly, and neurobehavioral effects. Factors that confound epidemiological studies concerning illicit drugs and pregnancy include the difficulty of determining the amount of drug consumed and the association of drug abuse with malnutrition and various psychological programs that can influence pregnancy by themselves. Figure and 55 references