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March 19, 2012

Pregnant Mom's Meth Use Shows Up in Baby's Moods

Studies of children who had been exposed to methamphetamines in the womb suggest the drug can stunt fetal growth, increase newborn stress and cause problems with motor development. Now new research reveals that meth takes a toll on a child's mood and behavior, as well.

The new research is part of a study that tracks the babies of meth-using mothers starting at birth. Children exposed to meth in the womb are more likely to suffer from anxious and depressed moods by age 3, the researchers found. And at age 5, meth-exposed kids are more likely to "act out" behaviorally and show symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

These mental-health findings are alarming, because behaviors seen at these young ages tend to persist, said study researcher Linda LaGasse, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Brown University.

"It isn't just about 3 to 5, it's setting the groundwork potentially for the future unless something interrupts it," LaGasse told LiveScience.

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