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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2021 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Handb Clin Neurol. 2020;171:143–160. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-64239-4.00007-2

Table 7.2.

Adverse effects of illicit drugs in pregnancy

Illicit drug Adverse effects
Opiates (e.g., morphine, fentanyl) Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), neural tube defects, congenital heart defects, gastroschisis, miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm delivery, low birth weight (Minozzi et al., 2013)
Cocaine Preterm birth, premature rupture of membranes, placental abruption and infarction, preeclampsia, growth restriction (Cressman et al., 2014), gastroschisis (Draper et al., 2008)
Amphetamines (e.g., crystal meth) Gastroschisis (Draper et al., 2008), clefting, cardiac anomalies, fetal growth reduction deficits (Plessinger, 1998)
Cannabis (e.g., marijuana) Conflicting evidence, possible effect on intellectual development in young children (Draper et al., 2008; Albright and Rayburn, 2009); seems to enhance the teratogenic effects of ethanol (Hansen et al., 2008)