Running head: PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
Prenatal Development Article: Cognitive Outcomes in Prenatal Methamphetamine Exposure
Stacie P. Pearson
Liberty University
Running head: PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
The prenatal development article that I chose was “Cognitive outcomes in prenatal methamphetamine
exposed children ages six to seven years,” (2018). It discussed the damage to the brain circuitry during
development due to the mother’s methamphetamine use during pregnancy. The research found showed
that the effects were not always able to be identified until around entering school age. The study
confirmed that “Methamphetamine has a main effect on the brain development and cognition, but the
drug impacts on physical growth, and the sum of effects may be worse in needy environments.” (p. 26)
After, reviewing this article, it obviously confirmed that drug use during pregnancy does affect the baby’s
development, but it also revealed that most studies done on this issue are hard to get accurate results.
These studies are based off “yes or no” questionnaires which leave the parameters of controlling the
testing very wide. It also revealed that the stereotype on the low-income community having a higher
drug use rate, is still believed. From experience, I know this is not true. It is difficult to get people to
admit they use drugs. I was also disappointed that the study did not give any reference to the Father and
if he was using.
I did enjoy this assignment because this is an issue that I feel strongly about and it furthered my
knowledge on how the tests are conducted. This assignment also taught me more about using the library
and how to search scholarly articles for future assignments. The graphs listed on the article was
challenging to understand, so I am still working on that part.
References
Kwiatkowski, M. A., Donald, K. A., Stein, D. J., Ipser, J., Thomas, K. G. F., & Roos, A. (2018). Cognitive
outcomes in prenatal methamphetamine exposed children aged six to seven years. Comprehensive
Psychiatry, 80, 24-33. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.liberty.edu/10.1016/j.comppsych.2017.08.003
Running head: PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
