The effects of prenatal cocaine use on infant development

Abstract

This study examined the effect of prenatal cocaine use on infant physical, cognitive, and motor development, and temperamental characteristics, controlling for other factors that affect infant development. Women were, on average, 26.8 years old, had 12 years of education, and 46% were African American. During the first trimester, 18% were frequent users of cocaine (≥ 1 line/day). The infants were, on average, 14.6 months old at this follow-up phase. Women who used cocaine during pregnancy rated their infants as more fussy/difficult and unadaptable than did women who did not use cocaine. Cocaine use in the second trimester was associated with significantly lower motor scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) [9]. There was no effect of prenatal cocaine use on BSID mental performance or on growth. These findings are consistent with other reports in the literature and with the hypothesis that prenatal cocaine exposure affects development through changes in neurotransmitter systems.

Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on adolescent development

“…We have found persistent associations between PCE and child temperament and behavior problems at 1, 3, 7, and 10 years of age (Richardson et al, 2008(Richardson et al, , 2009, which is consistent with reviews suggesting that the behavior domain is most likely to be affected (Ackerman et al, 2010;Behnke et al, 2013;Buckingham-Howes et al, 2013). Others have also reported that PCE is associated with child or adolescent behavior problems, particularly externalizing behaviors such as aggression and delinquency (Bada et al, , 2012Bennett et al, 2007Bennett et al, , 2013DelaneyBlack et al, 2000;Fisher et al, 2011;McLaughlin et al, 2011;Minnes et al, 2010;Nordstrom Bailey et al, 2005;Sood et al, 2005;Whitaker et al, 2011).…”

“…We found significant associations between PCE and growth deficits at follow-ups through 10 years of age (Richardson et al, 1999(Richardson et al, , 2008(Richardson et al, , 2009. Some other studies have also reported that PCE has a detrimental effect on childhood growth (Covington et al, 2002;Minnes et al, 2006;Rivkin et al, 2008;Shankaran et al, 2011).…”

“…The alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco measures were used as continuous variables in the analyses. See Day and Robles (1989) and Richardson et al (2008) for detailed information about calculation of the first trimester substance use variables.…”

“…The mean level of cocaine use for the women who used during the first trimester was approximately 8 lines/day. Of these women, 50% reported snorting powder cocaine only, while the rest smoked crack (see Richardson et al, 2008 for detailed information about calculation of the cocaine/crack amounts). During the second and third trimesters, the mean level of use among the users was approximately 6 lines/day and 5 lines/day, respectively.…”

Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant and puerperal crack-cocaine using women: preliminary data

“…Both of these drugs have been implicated in mental disorders for the developing child, like mental retardation in the case of alcohol abuse 11 . Thus, although the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure remains unclear 12,13 , since its use is frequently associated to alcohol and tobacco, it puts the baby at risk. Interestingly, some subjects tried to decrease crack-cocaine use during pregnancy, highlighting this period as a time of greater receptivity to therapeutic intervention 14 .…”