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To review and summarise the literature reporting on cannabis use within western communities with specific reference to patterns of use, the pharmacology of its major psychoactive compounds, including placental and fetal transfer, and the impact of maternal cannabis use on pregnancy, the newborn infant and the developing child. Review of published articles, governmental guidelines and data and book chapters. Although cannabis is one of the most widely used illegal drugs, there is limited data about the prevalence of cannabis use in pregnant women, and it is likely that reported rates of exposure are significantly underestimated. With much of the available literature focusing on the impact of other illicit drugs such as opioids and stimulants, the effects of cannabis use in pregnancy on the developing fetus remain uncertain. Current evidence indicates that cannabis use both during pregnancy and lactation, may adversely affect neurodevelopment, especially during periods of critical brain growth both in the developing fetal brain and during adolescent maturation, with impacts on neuropsychiatric, behavioural and executive functioning. These reported effects may influence future adult productivity and lifetime outcomes. Despite the widespread use of cannabis by young women, there is limited information available about the impact perinatal cannabis use on the developing fetus and child, particularly the effects of cannabis use while breast feeding. Women who are using cannabis while pregnant and breast feeding should be advised of what is known about the potential adverse effects on fetal growth and development and encouraged to either stop using or decrease their use. Long-term follow-up of exposed children is crucial as neurocognitive and behavioural problems may benefit from early intervention aimed to reduce future problems such as delinquency, depression and substance use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to review and summarize available evidence regarding the impact of amphetamines on pregnancy, the newborn infant and the child. Amphetamines are neurostimulants and neurotoxins that are some of the most widely abused illicit drugs in the world. Users are at high risk of psychiatric co-morbidities, and evidence suggests that perinatal amphetamine exposure is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes, but data is confounded by other adverse factors associated with drug-dependency. Data sources are Government data, published articles, conference abstracts and book chapters. The global incidence of perinatal amphetamine exposure is most likely severely underestimated but acknowledged to be increasing rapidly, whereas exposure to other drugs, for example, heroin, is decreasing. Mothers known to be using amphetamines are at high risk of psychiatric co-morbidity and poorer obstetric outcomes, but their infants may escape detection, because the signs of withdrawal are usually less pronounced than opiate-exposed infants. There is little evidence of amphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and long-term neurodevelopmental impact, as data is scarce and difficult to extricate from the influence of other factors associated with children living in households where one or more parent uses drugs in terms of poverty and neglect. Perinatal amphetamine-exposure is an increasing worldwide concern, but robust research, especially for childhood outcomes, remains scarce. We suggest that exposed children may be at risk of ongoing developmental and behavioral impediment, and recommend that efforts be made to improve early detection of perinatal exposure and to increase provision of early-intervention services for affected children and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]