Sixty-five children born to women who all abused amphetamine during pregnancy have been followed prospectively since their birth in 1976-77. At the age of 14-15 years, information about growth and school achievement was collected from school records. For comparison of school achievements the means of schoolmates were used, and for growth a group of Stockholm children born in the same year. By the age of 14 years only 14 children (22%) had stayed with their biological mothers for the whole period since birth. In the eighth grade, 10 (15%) were one grade lower than indicated by their biological age. The norm for Sweden is less than 5%. The means of the points in mathematics, Swedish language and sports were statistically below those of their classmates. At the age of 10 years the girls were significantly shorter and lighter than their peers born in 1976. At the age of 14 years the boys were statistically taller and heavier than their peers. It can be concluded that maternal amphetamine abuse during pregnancy will influence children at lest up to the age of 14-15 years even though many of them have been living in foster homes since a young age.

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Eriksson M, Jonsson B, Steneroth G, Zetterstrom R. Cross-sectional growth of children whose mothers abused amphetamines during pregnancy. Acta Pediatr 1994;83:612-17. Stockholm. ISSN Growth of 65 children whose mothers were addicted to amphetamines during pregnancy was followed prospectively from birth to eight years of age. At birth, one and four years of age, mean weight, height and head circumference were below the mean for Swedish children and significantly so in girls. A statistically significant correlation was found in both sexes between impaired growth and social factors such as stress index, increasing number of siblings, length of maternal cohabitation and abuse in maternal relatives. 0 Amphetamine abuse, growth, intrauterine exposure