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NATIONAL METHAMPHETAMINE TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
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Women and meth
Mom's meth linked to fetal brain injury
Meth use during pregnancy
has been known to in-
crease the risk of premature
delivery and lower birth
weight. In addition, meth is
secreted in breast milk,
compounding the risks of
maternal meth use.
A recent UCLA study in-
dicates that meth abuse
during pregnancy also leads
to structural brain abnor-
malities in infants that may
be even more
severe than the problems
caused by prenatal alcohol
exposure. According to the
study, meth exposure re-
duces a region in the brain
that is significant for learning and memory, motor control, and punishment and reward. At the same time, meth exposure abnormally increases the volume of a region associated with control and conflict resolution.
Finally, children of parents who use drugs are at increased risk for abuse or neglect, and are more
likely to abuse drugs themselves.
For these reasons, treatment is particularly critical for pregnant women. While the number of pregnant women seeking treatment for meth addiction has been increasing, these women represent only a quarter of those who need treatment. Unfortunately, a fear of losing custody of their children may keep meth-abusing women from seeking help, compounding the problem.
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Women content
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