Nl. Day et al., EFFECT OF PRENATAL MARIJUANA EXPOSURE ON THE COGNITIVE-DEVELOPMENT OFOFFSPRING AT AGE-3, Neurotoxicology and teratology, 16(2), 1994, pp. 169-175
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance among pregnant w
omen. Although there has been substantial concern about the effects of
substance use during pregnancy, few studies have assessed the effects
of prenatal exposure to marijuana and even fewer have provided longit
udinal data on the developmental outcome of offspring. This is a repor
t from a longitudinal study of substance use during pregnancy. The wom
en in the cohort were of lower socioeconomic status, most were single,
half were white and half were African-American. Women were interviewe
d at the fourth and seventh prenatal months, and women and children we
re assessed at delivery, 8, 18, and 36 months. Pediatric assessment in
cluded physical and cognitive development. At each study phase, mother
s were interviewed about life style, living situation, current substan
ce use, sociodemographic, and psychological status. Findings are repor
ted on 655 women and children who were assessed at the third year. The
re were significant negative effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on
the performance of 3-year-old children on the Stanford-Binet Intellig
ence Scale. The effects were associated with exposure during the first
and second trimesters of pregnancy. Among the offspring of white wome
n, these effects were moderated by the child's attendance at preschool
/day-care at age three.