Psychological Functioning of Women Taking Illicit Drugs during Pregnancy and the Growth and Development of Their Offspring in Early Childhood

Objective: The aim of this research was to assess psychosocial history and psychological functioning in women who use drugs during pregnancy and determine how drug exposure affects child development. Methods: Pregnant women using marijuana (n=38) and cocaine (n=35) and receiving methadone maintenance (n=24), along with a control (n=49) group of pregnant women, were enrolled and followed every six months through 18-24 months postnatally. Results: There was a significantly higher incidence of mental illness among mothers in the drug-using groups. Prenatal stress and late-term drug severity scores were significantly higher in the mothers who used cocaine and methadone, who were also more likely to have abuse and incarceration histories. At 12 months, there were significantly higher rates of drug use in the marijuana group. Anxiety scores were highest in the methadone group. At 18 to 24 months, the methadone group reported significantly more stress, and methadone and marijuana groups had significantly higher anxiety and depression scores. At birth, neonates from the methadone and marijuana groups had significantly smaller head circumferences, with the smallest values in the methadone group. At one year, children in the cocaine group had significantly lower Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) cognitive and motor scores. At 18 to 24 months, children in the methadone group had significantly smaller head circumferences and Bayley-III cognitive scores. Children in the methadone and cocaine groups had a significantly higher incidence of atypical neurological examinations at 6 to 9 and 18 to 24 months. Conclusions: Mothers in the methadone and cocaine groups presented with more severe prenatal drug use and psychosocial risk factors relative to women who used primarily marijuana. Children in the cocaine and methadone groups were neurologically atypical relative to others at study end. Mothers in the marijuana group reported chronic drug use as well as anxiety and depression at follow-up. At birth, children in the marijuana group were smaller, but this resolved with time. Similarly, children in the cocaine group had motor and cognitive delays that resolved by age two. Children in the methadone group had persistent growth and cognitive deficits. Their mothers demonstrated more anxiety, depression, and stress, the combination of which left these women and children liable to face ongoing psychosocial struggle and psychological distress. Dual interventions for mother and child should be considered in attempting to optimize outcome.