Families, Maternal Drug Use, Prenatal Drug Exposure and Later Drug Use: a Review of the Evidence

Drug dependence is the result of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors that can occur during development. Prenatal drug exposure is among the environmental factors that have been examined for its possible impact on child development. This review summarises available evidence for the impact of prenatal drug exposure, including alcohol and tobacco, on the long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants and, in particular, the extent to which this exposure may increase the vulnerability to later drug use. It then summarises the evidence for genetic predisposition to addiction and its implications for understanding the role of maternal drug use and its effect on offspring.