Methamphetamine abuse during pregnancy: outcome and fetal effects.

Methamphetamines are a popular class of recreational drugs sometimes abused by women of childbearing age. The effects of methamphetamine abuse on pregnancy outcome and embryofetal development are not known. In this study, we compared pregnancy and fetal outcome in 52 women who abused methamphetamines with a randomly selected control group of 52 non-drug-abusing women. Body weight, length, and head circumference were significantly decreased in neonates born to mothers who abused methamphetamines during pregnancy. However, the frequency of congenital anomalies was not significantly increased in this group.