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Effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on growth: a longitudinal analysis

Gale A Richardson1, Lidush Goldschmidt, Cynthia Larkby

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. gar@pitt.edu

Pediatrics
|September 26, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal cocaine exposure significantly impacts child growth, leading to slower development rates up to age 10. This study highlights the lasting effects of first-trimester cocaine exposure on offspring growth trajectories.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Prenatal Substance Exposure
  • Longitudinal Growth Modeling

Background:

  • Limited research exists on the long-term effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on infant growth.
  • Previous studies have not utilized longitudinal growth models to track development over time.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of prenatal cocaine exposure on offspring growth from 1 to 10 years of age.
  • To apply a repeated-measures growth-curve model to analyze developmental trajectories.

Main Methods:

  • Mothers were recruited from a prenatal clinic and interviewed regarding substance use during pregnancy.
  • Data collected included cocaine, crack, alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, and other drug use.
  • Follow-up assessments of offspring growth occurred at ages 1, 3, 7, and 10 years.

Main Results:

  • Children exposed to cocaine in the first trimester were smaller in growth parameters at 7 and 10 years, but not at 1 or 3 years.
  • Longitudinal analyses revealed diverging growth curves, with cocaine-exposed children growing at a slower rate.
  • Analyses controlled for other factors known to influence child growth.

Conclusions:

  • This study is the first to use longitudinal growth-curve analyses with multiple time points to assess long-term effects of prenatal cocaine exposure.
  • Prenatal cocaine exposure, particularly during the first trimester, results in a slower growth rate in children.
  • Findings demonstrate a lasting impact of prenatal cocaine exposure on child development.
Abstract

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