You already know being pregnant is stressful.
From the ongoing doctor appointments, changes in your body, plans and preparation, emotional highs and lows, and advice—wanted or not—from friends and strangers. Sometimes it feels like you’re the center of everyone’s attention.
Our role at Public Health Muskegon County is to provide facts and scientific information from reliable sources that help you make the best decisions about cannabis during your pregnancy.
We know it’s a plant. And plant-based medications are safe, right?
Despite a long history—there’s much we still don’t know about cannabis and its effect on the human body. Some recent studies have shown that it can help people manage some illnesses and health issues. However, when you’re pregnant and your baby’s health is in your hands, you need to be 100 percent sure that nothing you eat, drink or do causes any harm.
Post-birth meconium testing, as well as statewide surveys of pregnant mothers, show evidence that more women are using cannabis during pregnancy than ever before. Reasons include morning sickness, inability to gain weight, stress/anxiety, habitual needs, etc. The fact is that there is very little research showing that cannabis use is safe to use during pregnancy, making use for any reason during this important time of child development, a risk you should not be willing to take.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women avoid cannabis consumption, and your physician probably will, too.
Read the study “European Epidemiological Patterns of Cannabis- and Substance-Related Congenital Neurological Anomalies: Geospatiotemporal and Causal Inferential Study” to learn more.
Here are Eight Things to Know About Cannabis and Pregnancy.
There is research that shows using cannabis while you are pregnant can cause health issues in newborn babies.
It includes low birth weight, which isn’t a great way for a baby to begin life.
Children born below 5 pounds 8 ounces can put them at risk for many other complications such as breathing problems, bleeding in the brain, heart problems, digestive and eye problems, as well as an underdeveloped immune system making your child more prone to infection. In addition, there are several studies that tracked children through early adulthood who were exposed to marijuana during pregnancy. These kids were at higher risk for problems later in life—including the ability to plan, focus, and remember, along with impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, increased aggression, being prone to depression, and having anxiety issues. The issues cited are more common in children whose mothers consumed one or more marijuana joints per day—which is considered heavy use.