Pubdate: Sat, 22 Oct 2005 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2005, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Const. Beth Blackburn Note: Const. Beth Blackburn is with the Nanaimo RCMP's drugs and organized crime awareness program. ONE SHOT OF CRYSTAL METH COULD CAUSE BIRTH DEFECTS I've been asked frequently about the impact of a pregnant woman using crystal meth and the damage to her unborn child. In research published in the August issue of Free Radical Biology and Medicine, University of Toronto pharmacy professor Peter Wells determined that exposing pregnant mice only once to methamphetamine led to delivery of offspring with long-term neurodevelopmental problems, including reduced motor co-ordination. Meth abuse during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, cleft palates and other malformations, but this is the first research demonstrating that even a single exposure can cause long-term damage. This is an important finding, given the increasing use of "club drugs" among women of childbearing age. The developing fetus appears to also be vulnerable to DNA damage from methamphetamine exposure because it hasn't yet developed the enzymes that protect it against free radicals - highly activated, destructive oxygen molecules that have been implicated in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. People usually think that the last trimester of pregnancy is when developing brain function is most susceptible to damage, but in this case the brain is also affected by methamphetamine even in the earlier embryonic period. (For more information go to www.news.utoronto.ca). Cocaine, another stimulant and widely used drug in Nanaimo, also has some negative effects on the fetus. Cocaine use during pregnancy increases the risk of: fetal death, premature labour and delivery, miscarriage, SIDS, blood pressure changes, blood vessels in the fetal brain to burst, resulting in permanent physical and mental damage, respiratory failure, kidney trouble, visual problems, lack of co-ordination and retardation. If you think you are pregnant or you know someone who is at risk and is pregnant be aware that you could be doing permanent damage to yourself and your unborn child if you are consuming any drug or alcohol. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman