EFFECTS OF PRENATAL DRUG EXPOSURE ON BIRTH OUTCOMES AND EARLY CHILD-DEVELOPMENT

Public attention has been drawn to the need of children who have been exposed to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco in utero. Despite initial conce rns that prenatal substance exposure could have global and permanent e ffects, current research suggests that many of these children do not h ave significant birth outcomes. Developmental outcomes are also mixed This paper presents a review of the literature on the impact of prenat al drug exposure on infants and young children. In addition, birth out come and development data are presented on 80 children who were expose d to multiple substances in utero and who were with their mothers in a treatment facility. Both intra-uterine and extra-uterine factors rela ted to children's outcomes are discussed.