Marijuana is becoming increasingly popular among during pregnancy, to help women self-medicate symptoms of morning sickness. A study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that pregnant women with severe nausea and vomiting in their first trimester had almost four times higher odds of using marijuana compared to women with no morning sickness. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 4.9 percent of pregnant women 15 through 44 years of age reported the use of marijuana in the past month. Unfortunately, while some women claim that it can help with these symptoms, there’s little research on what marijuana use can do to the babies.
On August 27, 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released its first-ever guidelines on marijuana use for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The report suggests that women avoid marijuana completely during pregnancy. One reason for this is that tetrahydrocannabinol — THC, the compound that is responsible for marijuana’s psychoactive effects — can cross the placenta. Studies have shown that shorter gestational periods and lower birth weights can result, as well as problems sleeping.
Women should also avoid marijuana while breastfeeding, because THC and other psychoactive compounds can pass into breast milk. Another study in the journal Pediatrics examined breast milk from 50 women who used marijuana and found that THC was present in 63 percent of the samples as long as six days after they reported using the drug. While no specific link has been identified, researchers say that if these compounds can impact fetal development, it’s possible that they could also affect a breastfeeding child.
The report also suggests that there are no actual benefits for morning sickness from using marijuana. Instead, the researchers say women should use treatments that have already been approved, like vitamin B6 and Doxylamine, a medication found in over-the-counter sleep aids. Women experiencing severe nausea and vomiting may need to stay in the hospital and receive fluids and nutrients. This is supported by the 2015 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Committee Opinion. However, none of the states with legal medical marijuana laws list pregnancy as a reason to not recommend or dispense marijuana.
There is a possibility that the data is influenced by other factors. For instance, pregnant women who report marijuana use are more likely to be younger (under 25 years of age), to be from households with lower income, to smoke cigarettes, and to report having experienced a significant emotional stressor. Marijuana use in general is more common in women who are unemployed, lack a high school diploma, use either alcohol or cigarettes, are depressed, or are a victim of abuse. All of these factors make it less likely that women will receive proper prenatal care.
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