Prenatal cocaine exposure: Long-run effects and policy implications

In this article, we review the literature regarding prenatal cocaine exposu re and child development. We then reexamine current child welfare policies in light of that literature, paying particular attention to laws that manda te reporting substance-exposed newborns and substance use during pregnancy as well as policies that view such reports as prima facie evidence of child maltreatment Finally, we reassess the utility of such policies, given our current knowledge of the long-term effects of prenatal exposure, and consid er alternative approaches to protecting children who are born to parents wh o are using crack cocaine.