University of Toronto researcher Paul Wells and colleagues exposed pregnant mice to meth and found that they often gave birth to babies with long-term neurodevelopmental problems. The authors said that meth use seemed to disrupt production of enzymes that protect against free radicals, which can damage DNA.

"We've known for a while that 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," said Wells. "It's pretty remarkable that a single low dose can have such an effect. It's an important finding, given the increasing use of [such] drugs among women of childbearing age. It has clinical implications, because it shows that the fetus is exquisitely sensitive."

Wells added that the developing fetus is vulnerable to meth from the early embryonic stage all the way through the third trimester.

The research appears in the August 2005 issue of the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine.

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