[Methamphetamine--a drug of pregnant female drug addicts]

Abstract

Drug abuse is still a serious problem of nowadays. One of the most abused drugs in the Czech Republic is methamphetamine (MA). MA is strongly addictive substance with high disposition to abuse. It belongs to the group of synthetic amphetamines that together with cocaine and caffeine are classified as psychomotor stimulant drugs. Lately, the growing problem is drug abuse of pregnant women. MA is popular drug in pregnant women dependent on addictive substances. Drugs abused during pregnancy are risky not only for the mother, but may induce changes in developing organism that may have permanent consequences. Prenatal exposure to MA may have teratogenic effects by inducing malformations or impair postnatal functional development of offspring. The impairing effects may last until adulthood and may affect even next generation. Mechanism of these long-term consequences is not fully explained yet. The present review summarizes the existing information.