Knockout: Effects Of Marijuana On Fetus
The effect of smoking weed during pregnancy is more fatal for a baby. There is a higher influx of carbon monoxide, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide which will also be transferred to the fetus. The damage could be more severe as the chemicals could easily cross the placenta, may impact the development of a baby. Some of the effects which smoking pot during pregnancy can cause are:
- Higher chance of premature birth
- Placenta removal which could cause severe bleeding for woman and the baby
- Brain defects which may cause trouble with retention, attention, and impulse control
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Pot And Pregnancy: What Do We Know
ORIGINAL ARTICLE:
For some women, pregnancy is a time of rebirth. They love every second of it, from the moment of conception to the delightfully easy and drug-free labor 38 weeks later when the baby just slips out. They feel powerful, strong, at one with their bodies, and attuned to the miracle of life all around them.
Not Suzie. Thirty-seven years old when she got pregnant, Suzie spent most of her mornings dry-heaving for an hour or so. Nothing came up, probably because she wasnt able to eat. She was nauseated and swollen, and even a sip of water would cause heartburn so intense that it felt like a small campfire had been lit in her esophagus and chest. It was terrible.
So Suzie did what always worked for her when she was feeling sick or couldnt eat: She smoked pot.
In her case, cannabis helped. Of course, pot and pregnancy arent exactly doctor recommended.
Shes got a pointits hard to imagine anyone sharing weed with a newborn. But that doesnt mean plenty of pregnant women arent using it. Researchers with Kaiser Permanente Northern California surveyed around 275,000 pregnant women in that region, and they found that from 2009 to 2017, pot use during pregnancy grew from 1.9 percent to 3.4 percent.
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What Are The Risks Of Using Weed During Pregnancy
There are more than 400 active chemicals in cannabis, some of which cross the placenta and enter the babys brain and tissue. Most research has focused on tetrahydrocannabinol , the primary psychoactive component of marijuana, and cannabidiol , the primary non-psychoactive component. After a pregnant woman uses weed, the amount of THC in her babys blood is about a third to a tenth of the level in her own blood. And CBD has been found to increase the placentas permeability, allowing for THC and other foreign substances to pass into the babys blood more easily.
Studying the effects of marijuana exposure on pregnant women and their children is complicated by the fact that women who use cannabis often use tobacco and other drugs, which makes it challenging to tease out the effects of the different substances and results in findings that are often conflicting and inconclusive.
The evidence is continuing to grow, says Jamie Seabrook, an associate professor in the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences at Brescia University College and one of the authors of the Ontario study. Marijuana is being consumed during pregnancy across all levels of education and income, and regardless of socioeconomic status its having a huge effect on low birth weight, even after adjusting for tobacco smoking.
The effects probably arent huge from what we can see now, but it doesnt mean that theyre not going to impact somebodys life in a negative way, Cook says.
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Are More Women Using Marijuana While Pregnant
Yes. Marijuana use in pregnancy has become increasingly common, putting more babies at risk of exposure. Nationally, self-reported marijuana use among pregnant women nearly doubled between 2002 and 2017, from 3.4 percent to 7 percent overall and from nearly 6 percent to 12 percent in the first trimester. Researchers estimate that today about 1 in 20 women uses weed during pregnancy, and usage is even higher among young women 18 to 25 years old.
Legalization of marijuana in many states may be contributing to the uptick. Stories on social media about women using marijuana during pregnancy to relieve pregnancy symptoms may also be influencing the increase. Although there’s no evidence that marijuana is safe or effective at treating pregnancy-related issues, women have reported using weed for morning sickness, anxiety, and stress. Unfortunately, these anecdotes can give the mistaken impression that pot use during pregnancy is safe.
Cannabis dispensaries may be adding to pregnant women’s confusion about weed, recommending it for use in pregnancy and directly contradicting the warnings of medical experts. In one study, researchers posing as pregnant women called 400 randomly selected cannabis dispensaries, and more than two-thirds of dispensaries recommended using marijuana for morning sickness.
Smoking Pot While Pregnant Represents A Danger To Your Unborn Child Please Avoid It
Now we can answer the question. No, it is not safe to smoke marijuana/weed/pot while pregnant.
Despite this, many women do. About 1 in 20 women in the United States reports using marijuana while pregnant. You might think, Ill switch to vaping, that eliminates the smoke. True! Unfortunately, this still introduces THC to the baby through your bloodstream.
We know its hard to give up a habitespecially if you think it helps your health . When pregnant however, youre making decisions for two. Marijuana use is one habit we recommend you do give up. For your babys sake, if nothing else. It represents a risk to your babybut its one you can control.
Now, its not as dangerous as a substance like meth. Thats horrible for you and our baby! The two are miles apart. Nevertheless, marijuana can still endanger an unborn, highly vulnerable baby.
Other, safer options do exist to help with morning sickness and pain. Ask your gynecologist for their recommendations.
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What If You Smoke After The Baby Is Born
Once the baby is born and your body is yours again, you may assume its safe to pick the habit right back up again but that might not be true.
Some experts consider THC to be a developmental neurotoxin, which means a child whose mother smoked might have trouble with memory, attention, controlling impulses, and school performance.
Secondhand marijuana smoke may also be just as damaging as secondhand smoke from cigarettes.
Can Smoking Weed Affect A Pregnancy Test
Smoking weed cannot affect a pregnancy test. Because the pregnancy tests detect the HCG hormone in the body. The womens placenta produces the HCG hormone in case of pregnancy-test can detect it a day after your missed period. The birth control pills and antibiotics can interfere with the pregnancy test results in the form of false positive or false negative.
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Neonatal Outcomes: Effect Of Cannabis Use
Compared with the babies of women who had never used cannabis, the infants of women who continued to use cannabis at 15 weeks had lower mean values for birthweight , head circumference , birth length , and gestational age . Neonatal outcomes for babies of women who quit before or during early pregnancy were not significantly different from those for infants of women who had never used cannabis . The difference in birthweight associated with continued use of cannabis was similar to that for babies of mothers who smoked up to nine cigarettes per day or more at 15 weeks.
Evalues for the association between continued cannabis use and adverse perinatal outcomes ranged between 1.74 for birthweight and 2.58 for gestational age. This means that the risk ratio, after adjusting for measured covariates, for an unmeasured confounder associated with both cannabis use and the outcome would need to be 1.74 in the case of birthweight or 2.58 in the case of gestational age to reduce the aMDs associated with cannabis use to zero .
Is It Illegal To Smoke While Pregnant
The legality of smoking weed while pregnant is very tricky. At a federal level, using marijuana is illegal whether you are pregnant or not. However, the federal government is not enforcing these laws. At a state and local level, the legality varies significantly. One issue is whether using marijuana is legal in the area where you live. Another is if using marijuana during or after pregnancy would be considered endangering the health of your child.
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Is It Harmful To Use Marijuana Before Pregnancy
Yes. Before pregnancy, using marijuana can affect your fertility and make it hard for you to get pregnant. Marijuana can affect:
- Hormones that your body needs to get pregnant. Hormones are chemicals made by the body.
- Your menstrual cycle. This is the process of your ovaries releasing an egg every month.
- A mans sperm count . A mans sperm fertilizes a womans egg to begin a pregnancy.
Brain Development And Mental Health Problems During Childhood
There’s increasing evidence that weed exposure may disrupt normal brain development of a fetus. Impulse control and hyperactivity as well as challenges with visual and spatial reasoning have been linked to exposure to weed in the womb.
Your child’s long-term mental health is at risk, too. Research shows that babies whose parents used weed while pregnant are more likely than others to be anxious and aggressive between ages 3 and 6.
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What Happens If I Smoke Weed While Pregnant
The main psychoactive ingredient in pot the ingredient that makes people “high” is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
If you use marijuana when you’re pregnant, THC crosses the placenta into your baby’s bloodstream. An estimated 10 to 30 percent of the THC in your system could reach your baby. And babies are much more vulnerable to the effects of chemicals and toxins than adults.
THC passes from you to your baby if you’re using marijuana in any way, including:
- Smoking a joint
- Dabbing: using concentrated cannabis oil
- Vaping: inhaling cannabis vapor using a vaporizing pen or similar device
- Consuming or drinking cannabis-infused beverages. Edibles such as cookies, brownies, or candy aren’t safer than smoking, dabbing, or vaping weed the THC still crosses the placenta.
Even applying creams or lotions containing marijuana to your skin can potentially be a problem. Also, weed may be contaminated with other drugs or herbicides that could harm your baby even if you buy marijuana legally.
Note: Vaping weed or using e-cigarettes is especially dangerous because vaping has been linked to serious lung problems and deaths. The Food and Drug Administration and the CDC warn that pregnant women shouldn’t use any vaping products, including THC-containing products and e-cigarettes.
Can You Use Cannabis While Breastfeeding
In order to limit potential risk to the infant, breastfeeding parents should not use cannabis or cannabis-containing products in any form, says Merhi.
The current data available regarding the safety of cannabis use while breastfeeding is limited. However, we do know two chemicals in cannabis Tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol have the potential to affect the neurodevelopment of an infant. THC, in particular, can be passed on to a breastfeeding infant through breast milk, Merhi says.
Data on the effects of CBD exposure to an infant through breast milk are limited and conflicting, but we do know CBD products may contain other contaminants, like bacteria or pesticides that could be dangerous to the parent and baby, Merhi says.
While more research is needed, the science so far shows enough of a risk that breastfeeding parents should not use cannabis while nursing, Merhi says.
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Why You Should Not Smoke Weed While Trying To Conceive
Smoking weed lowers your chance of getting pregnant and may lead to early pregnancy loss, where the embryo is unable to implant so it cannot survive.
When you do become pregnant, you may not know for two weeks or even longer. Using cannabis during this time could negatively affect the fetus. “THC can affect neurodevelopment of the brain cells and cause other problems,” says Kristy June, MD, a practicing physician and medical expert at Bed Bible. This is just one reason why it’s best to give up weed use a few weeks prior to trying.
Can You Smoke Marijuana While Pregnant
Various school of thoughts exists about the use of marijuana in the pregnancy but the most valid fact is it is harmful to the baby in many ways. The active compound of weed is THC that crosses the placenta of the mother and enters the fetus causing various complications. But the mothers also use others drugs like tobacco or alcohol, so the exact effect of weed on the fetus is still controversial. Different stats and studies have been conducted regarding the use of the drug in pregnancy but the result varies. It is shown that weed is the most commonly used drug during pregnancy either for sickness or recreational use.
According to the survey of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, about 2 to 5% of the women use weed during pregnancy with the highest rate of urban and young women to about 28%.
Another stats by study reveals, from 2009 to 2016 there is a double to triple increase in the mothers ratio who use marijuana in pregnancy. The ratio increased from 4 to 7%-there is a significant need for awareness among pregnant women to make their baby safe and healthy from the consequences of marijuana.
A study by Young Wolffs Team at Kaiser Permanente shows that odds of using marijuana among pregnant women with severe nausea and vomiting were four times greater than those who dont have nausea and vomiting.
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Using Marijuana While Pregnant: What Are The Risks
As a result, usage is rising in the general population, including among pregnant women. A lot of women wonder if smoking weed or consuming marijuana in another form is OK during pregnancy.
While estimates are tricky, four to 10 percent of women currently report using marijuana while pregnant. This is a definite increase from the past and the actual percentage is probably higher because of a self-reporting bias. Think about your answers when we ask you how much you smoke, drink, exercise, or weigh!
But just because using marijuana is more socially or even legally acceptable does not mean its safe for your unborn child.
Using Weed During Pregnancy Linked To Psychotic
If youre one of the growing numbers of women who use weed while pregnant, think twice: A new study found it may increase psychotic-like behaviors in children.
The study,, analyzed data on 11,489 children who were followed as part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, which says its the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. The childrens cognitive and behavior patterns were evaluated in middle childhood, around age 9.
Of those children, 655 were exposed to cannabis while in utero, according to statements from the mothers. Compared to the 10,834 children with no exposure, children whose mothers had used during pregnancy were more likely to have psychotic-like behaviors and more attention, social and sleep problems, as well as weaker cognitive abilities.
If the woman continued to use after she discovered she was pregnant, the negative effects were more pronounced, the study found, and stayed after adjusting for confounding variables.
Use of cannabis despite knowledge of pregnancy might represent a preexisting and more severe form of cannabis use, the authors wrote.
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Are Edibles Bad For Pregnant Ladies
Suppose you cant decide between smoking weed while pregnant or eating edibles experts recommend neither. The edibles include cannabis-infused cookies, brownies, or candies.
When you inhale a joint, the chemicals enter the lungs and bloodstream, traveling to various parts of the body. After being processed in the stomach and liver, weed tends to have much stronger and longer-lasting effects. These results could have undesirable consequences and impact the pregnancy.
Additionally, there is no standard amount of how many cannabis-infused gummies or cookies you should eat during this period. It might, therefore, pose a risk of overdose, and its advisable to abstain from any weed products, especially edibles, while pregnant and nursing the baby.
Treatment To Pregnant Women Who Undergoes Marijuana Detox
There is good news at the end of it all. Many women are successful in quitting drugs during their pregnancy unfortunately, from six to twelve months postpartum, they begin abusing drugs again. Maternal releases tend to occur at times when the baby has constant needs, and their overall development depends on maternal bonding efforts.
Therefore, treating substance abuse and in a pregnant woman requires behavioral changes, including contingency management, cognitive behavioral therapy, and motivational interviewing.
Detox sessions.
Helping a pregnant addict off marijuana is difficult enough and costly as well, especially because scientific research is not sufficient to support the methods that are in use. Even though it is possible to detox safely during pregnancy, the process must be done under the supervision of a medical team all who have specific skills that can help both the child and the mother. Many physicians will tend to recommend a taper of medication that is less harmful and pair this with an addiction treatment program.
There is a major problem through extensive treatments that stop the use of marijuana during pregnancy are lacking in medical research. Current recommendations you might go through include screening on a routine basis so that your marijuana use is identified early enough and you can be encouraged to abstain.
Potential complications
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