Women in states where cannabis is legal are five times more likely to smoke the drug during pregnancy – increasing the risk of birth defects, premature birth and stillbirth
- Pregnant women in perfectly legal states were about five times more likely to use weed
- The drug has been found to be unsafe for pregnant women or unborn babies
- Its use has been linked to low birth weight, stillbirth, cognitive problems, and more
Pregnant women living in states with lax cannabis laws are significantly more likely to use the drug than women living in more restrictive locations.
Smoking the drug during pregnancy puts the unborn child at risk of premature birth and low birth weight or stillbirth, as well as long-term problems with brain development.
The multi-state study found that expectant mothers living in states where recreational or medical-only marijuana is legal are nearly five times more likely to use the drug than women in states that only allow CBD.
Amid a cannabis revolution sweeping America, the researchers behind the report urged prenatal and primary care providers to educate their pregnant patients about the risks associated with using marijuana during pregnancy.
Over half of the states have legalized its use for medical purposes, while 21 states and DC have legalized it for adult recreational use.
Lead author Kathak Vachhani said: “Therefore, it is becoming increasingly important to assess the risk-benefit profile of cannabis in comparison to other medical treatments in order to understand possible therapeutic indications for cannabis use in pregnancy.”
Tuesday’s report comes about a week after a large study, conducted in Canada, in which one in 50 mothers-to-be admitted to taking the drug during pregnancy despite known health risks.
Pregnant women living in states with lax cannabis laws are significantly more likely to use the drug than women living in places with more restrictions (file image)
The above shows cannabis use across American states. Twenty-one states and DC have legalized it for recreational use in addition to medicinal use, while nearly all now allow medicinal use.
Marijuana is sometimes used to relieve some symptoms, such as nausea, in pregnant women, but whether the substance is safe for this group remains to be seen. Marijuana use has been linked to low birth weight, stillbirth, and other serious health outcomes
What are the health risks of marijuana?
According to official estimates, around 48 million Americans smoke cannabis at least once a year.
Marijuana is the third most commonly used drug in the United States after alcohol and tobacco.
That number is increasing as states continue to legalize the drug.
21 US states have legalized the drug for adult recreational use.
But there’s also growing evidence of its health risks, especially for young adults.
Researchers suspect that it has the following negative effects:
- Brain Damage: It can lead to permanent IQ loss as it hampers brain development and could even have permanent cognitive effects in young adults;
- Mental health: It has been linked to increased suicide rates, as well as psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, although it’s unclear if marijuana is the cause;
- Everyday Life: Polls link it to more problems in careers and maintaining healthy relationships;
- Driving: Those who drive under the influence of alcohol have slower reactions and less coordination, research shows.
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration.
The research team derived 2017-2020 data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an ongoing national survey that collects information about health behaviors and risk factors in adults.
There were 1,900 pregnant women. About 420 lived in states where only CBD is legal, while 1,100 lived in states with medical marijuana allowances and 394 in states with recreational allowances.
Just over two percent living in CBD-only states reported cannabis use, compared to over seven percent in medical states and slightly less than recreational states.
The report was published Tuesday in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.
A wide range of research indicates potentially serious health effects on an unborn child when the mother uses marijuana.
Its use has been linked to low birth weight, putting the baby at risk of eating heavier, gaining weight and fighting off infection.
Cannabis use also increases the chances of a baby being stillborn. A 2013 study conducted by the Federal National Institutes of Health found a 2.3 percent increased risk of stillbirth in women who used cannabis during pregnancy.
Women who use marijuana during pregnancy also increase the risk of their baby having memory and cognitive problems as they grow up.
A study published earlier this year in JAMA Pediatrics found that prenatal cannabis exposure after five to six weeks of pregnancy is associated with attentional, social and behavioral problems that persist into early adolescence.
dr Vachhani said: “From a maternal health perspective, our current understanding of the complex interplay between use (whether CBD or THC-based) and the long-term health consequences for the mother is rudimentary.
“Although further studies could lead to an accepted therapeutic indication, according to the current consensus, the positive association between cannabis use and legalization found in our study warrants further investigation.”
A major caveat of the study, peer-reviewed, is its relatively small sample size. Other limitations included a lack of information about when a woman used the drug during pregnancy, a lack of information about the chemical makeup of the cannabis consumed, and the potential for bias in self-reporting.