Cannabis Consumption Early In Pregnancy Increases Risk Of Poor Outcome, New Study

As more states legalize marijuana for recreational use, researchers are looking into the potential health effects of cannabis use during pregnancy.

In a new study presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s annual meeting, The Pregnancy Meeting — and published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology — researchers unveild findings that suggest that using cannabis in the first six to 14 weeks of pregnancy is associated with poor pregnancy outcomes that are closely related to the function of the placenta.

The placenta plays an important role during pregnancy, including providing an infant with oxygen and nutrients, removing harmful waste and carbon dioxide, and producing hormones that help a baby grow. Medicine, drugs, alcohol and nicotine can transfer from a pregnant person’s bloodstream to their baby through the placenta.

Researchers analyzed urine samples collected during the Nulliparous Mothers-to-Be (nuMoM2b) study, a large, diverse multicenter cohort of pregnant people. Of the 10,038 nuMoM2b participants, researchers included data from 9,257 pregnant people in their first trimester of pregnancy.

After doing a drug screen for marijuana, researchers discovered that 540 (5.8%) tested positive for marijuana, meaning those individuals most likely used cannabis in the first six to 14 weeks of their pregnancy. The study found that using cannabis early in pregnancy is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes related to the placenta, such as poor fetal growth, stillbirth, and an increased risk of developing high blood pressure during pregnancy.

“We wanted to look specifically at cannabis use early in pregnancy because that’s when the placenta is forming, and a lot of information we currently have indicates that cannabis use does affect the placenta,” stated the study’s lead author Torri D. Metz, MD, MS, a maternal-fetal medicine subspecialist and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City.

The next step, say researchers, is to look at ongoing cannabis use during pregnancy and whether “the window of exposure” matters.

Benzinga's Cannabis Capital Conference Is Back

The most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, returns to Miami for its 16th edition. This is the place where DEALS GET DONE, where money is raised, M&A starts, and companies meet investors and key partners. Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel in Florida on April 11-12. Don’t miss out. Secure your tickets now. Prices will surge very soon.

Photo by Esteban Lopez on Unsplash