New Studies Reveal Maternal Cannabis Use Not Linked To Autism Or Developmental Delays

Two federally funded studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) provide critical insights into the effects of prenatal cannabis use on child development.

Led by Lyndsay A. Avalos, PhD, MPH, the studies conclude that early maternal cannabis use is not associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or early developmental delays in children, first reported Marijuana Moment.

Cannabis And Autism: No Significant Link Found

The first study examined over 178,000 pregnancies to assess whether maternal cannabis use during early pregnancy was linked to a heightened risk of autism in children. After adjusting for confounding factors, which are extraneous variables not appropriately controlled in a study such as sociodemographic characteristics and other substance use, researchers found no significant association between prenatal cannabis exposure and ASD diagnoses.

However, the research team noted that while moderate cannabis use showed no increased risk, more research is needed to investigate potential risks from higher-frequency use during pregnancy. Avalos and her team emphasized that this does not imply cannabis use is safe during pregnancy, especially when used frequently.

Read Also: Autism CBD Trial On Children Advances As Israeli Company Enrolls First Five Patients

• Get Benzinga’s exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter here. If you’re serious about the business, you can’t afford to miss out.

Developmental Delays Also Unaffected By Cannabis Exposure

The second study, involving nearly 120,000 pregnancies, explored the impact of prenatal cannabis use on early childhood developmental outcomes, including speech, motor and global developmental delays.

The findings suggest that maternal cannabis use during early pregnancy does not correlate with an increased risk of developmental issues in children.

Despite these reassuring results, Avalos – who is a senior research scientist at Kaiser Permanente in Northern California and holds a PhD in Epidemiology from UC Berkeley – advises pregnant women to avoid cannabis use. This aligns with recommendations from health organizations like the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

“Despite our findings of no increased risks for early developmental delays, past evidence for adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes indicate that pregnant individuals should discontinue cannabis use,” Avalos and her team recommend.

These results reinforce what other similar studies have found in the past.

• Read Next: Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Not Linked To Elevated Risk Of Autism And Oklahoma Court Rules Pregnant Moms Who Use It Are Not Breaking The Law

Cover: IA generated image