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    Maryland Department of Health
    Maternal and Child Health

    ​MCH HOTLINE
    1-800-456-8900

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    Amphetamines/Methamphetamine

     

    What is amphetamine/methamphetamine?

    • Methamphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant1
    • It can be injected intravenously, snorted, smoked, or taken orally1
    • Physicians may also prescribe it in low doses for the treatment of attention deficit disorders or narcolepsy1
    • Amphetamines function by increasing the release of certain neurotransmitters including norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin2
    • Use of amphetamines result in increased alertness, euphoria, exhilaration, and increased inhibition2
    • Methamphetamines are a more potent form of amphetamines3
    • Effects of methamphetamine include euphoria, increased wakefulness, and increased energy3
     

    What are the medical consequences of amphetamine/methamphetamine use?

    • Cardiac effects
           Cardiac arrhythmias2, 3
           Hypertension2, 3
    • Insomnia2, 3
    • Seizures2, 3
    • Hyperthermia2, 3
    • Neurological effects
    • Visual and auditory hallucinationsisual and auditory hallucinations3
    • Mental health issues
           Mood disturbance
           Paranoia3
           Delusions3
    • Decreased appetite4
    • Dental problems4
     

    What are the medical consequences of amphetamine/methamphetamine use in pregnancy?

    • Placental abruption2
    • Preterm birth2
    • Decreased birth weight and size2
    • Cardiac anomalies4, 5
    • Cleft lip and/or palate4, 5
    • Biliary atresia4, 5
    • Cerebral hemorrhage in neonate4, 5
    • Increased risk of neonatal death6
    • Increased risk of developmental disorders in childhood like ADHD and oppositional defiance disorder7
     
     
    Resources
    1. Office of National Drug Control Policy.  Street Terms: Drug and Drug Trade.  Retrieved November 15, 2010 from http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/streetterms/. 
    2. Lindsay, M.K. and Burnett, E. (2013). The use of narcotic and street drugs during pregnancy. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology 56. 133-141.
    3. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2011).  ACOG Committee Opinion 479: Methamphetamine Abuse in Women of Reproductive Age.  Washington, DC: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 
    4. Drug Facts: Methamphetamine.  Retrieved January 15, 2014 from The National Institute on Drug Abuse Web site: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
    5. Kuczkowski, K.M (2007).  The Effects of Drug Abuse on Pregnancy [Electronic Version].  Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol, 19, 578-585.
    6. Good, M.M. et al (2010).  Methamphetamine Use During Pregnancy: Maternal and Neonatal Implications [Electronic Version]. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 116:2:1, 330-334
    7. Lester, B.M., LaGasse, L.L (2010). Children of Addicted Women [Electronic Version]. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 29, 259-276. 
     

    Return to Women's Health

    Return to Substance Use and Abuse

     
     
    January, 2014