Can Marijuana Use During And After Pregnancy Harm The Baby
More research is needed on how marijuana use during pregnancy could impact the health and development of infants, given changing policies about access to marijuana, as well as significant increases over the last decade in the number of pregnant women seeking substance use disorder treatment for marijuana use.83 One study found that about 20% of pregnant women 24-years-old and younger screened positive for marijuana. However, this study also found that women were about twice as likely to screen positive for marijuana use via a drug test than they state in self-reported measures. This suggests that self-reported rates of marijuana use in pregnant females may not be an accurate measure of marijuana use.84 Additionally, in one study of dispensaries, nonmedical personnel at marijuana dispensaries were recommending marijuana to pregnant women for nausea, but medical experts warn against it.
When Can I Resume Smoking Marijuana
For your childs health, you should ideally not resume smoking marijuana. Smoking marijuana can have a negative impact on the health of your child in two different ways once they are born. It can cross over into breast milk, causing significant THC exposure. It can also create secondhand smoke that exposes your child to marijuana, even if you are not breastfeeding.
Myth : Its Natural So It Must Be Safe
Being natural doesnt necessarily mean that something is safe. Tobacco is natural, for example. Plus, marijuana is treated like many other crops growers frequently use chemicals to protect their plants from pests and weeds.
Can you eat edibles while pregnant?
As we mentioned earlier, marijuana use in any form, including edibles, is not considered safe during pregnancy.
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Potential Risks Of Smoking Weed During Pregnancy
Research evidence shows that consuming cannabis during pregnancy may be dangerous to your baby in several ways. Cannabis has hundreds of compounds that can pass through the placenta from your system to the growing fetus, which may have several adverse effects, including to you.
So what are the most common risks of prenatal marijuana consumption?
Brain Development And Mental Health Problems During Childhood
Thereâs 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 childâs 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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Is There A Genetic Susceptibility To The Effects Of Cannabis
The effect of phytocannabinoids on mature neuronal cells is complex. Both neurotoxic and neuroprotective effects have been described depending on the cannabinoid, the cell type and the stage of cell differentiation. There is evidence that individual susceptibility to cannabis, at least in the adolescent onset user, may be substantially influenced by heredity. Adolescent catechol-O-methyltransferase knock-out mice, as compared with wild type, are more vulnerable to cannabinoid-induced modification of expression of schizophrenia-related behaviours. In humans, neuroimaging studies demonstrate that chronic consumption of cannabis beginning before the age of 16 years is associated with alterations in the volume of the caudate nucleus and amygdala in users with specific COMT gene polymorphisms that produce increased copies of the val allele. The presence of the COMT gene polymorphism val158met and the SLC6A4 gene 5-HTTLPR polymorphism in young adult cannabis users, on the other hand, has a moderating effect of decreased performance on executive functioning. Whether genetic susceptibility influences the long-term neuropsychiatric and cognitive outcomes of gestational cannabis-exposed children has not been explored but could lead to individual direction of early intervention and supportive services to ameliorate possible undesirable outcomes.
Final Verdict To Smoking Weed While Pregnant
An active smoker that is planning to get pregnant , is advised to speak with a medical expert for more advice and guidance. More side effects, benefits, and implications of smoking weed during pregnancy will be exposed, so one can decide whether it is bad or not. Doctors also guide women through each pregnancy stage monitoring when its better to continue or discontinue smoking weed. In the end, the choice is optionable to make in the best interest of a woman and a baby.
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:
- Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
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Smoking Marijuana While Pregnant: Will They Take My Baby Away If I Test Positive
Pregnant women taking marijuana can have serious consequences . I cant believe I have to write this post, but were seeing it more and more and somehow moms are shocked and surprised by the consequences.
How do I all all of this? Hi, Im Hilary many people know me as The Pregnancy Nurse. I have been a nurse since 1997 and I have 20 years of OB nursing experience, I am also the curly head behind this website Pulling Curls and The Online Prenatal Class for Couples. Please note that this post is written from my own experience in working in two states and also interviews with other nurses around the country. This seems to be the standard of care for women in both states where it is legal and not legal, however guidance is constantly changing.
I know a lot of you dont like this information . I really am just here to tell you what will happen and remind you that honesty is TRULY the best policy.
If youre looking for more information about your third trimester and other testing they might do grab my free birth prep pack.
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Use In Pregnancy And Lactation
Approximately half of females who use marijuana before conception continue to use throughout pregnancy, especially for its antiemetic properties, particularly in the first trimester during a developmentally vulnerable period.
Most studies report a 2% to 5% prevalence of prenatal marijuana use with up to approximately 30% among young, urban, and socioeconomically disadvantaged females.1,19 They are more likely to be younger, use multiple substances, report nausea and/or vomiting in pregnancy, have other life stressors or mental health conditions, and have limited or disrupted prenatal care.
In pregnancy, patterns of marijuana use reflect smoking as most popular followed by edibles and then vaping, with most using only 1 mode of marijuana delivery.20
The available studies on prenatal marijuana exposure are largely observational or retrospective, confounded by polysubstance use and small sample size and reliant on self-report.19 This is problematic because studies have found that more females are positive for marijuana use by toxicology screen than self-reported use.21
However, the existing evidence supports some degree of adverse outcomes with maternal marijuana use including intrauterine growth restriction, fetal neurodevelopmental consequences, neonatal intensive care unit admission, and impaired cognitive development of offspring.19,22
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Preventive And Therapeutic Strategies
Drug consumption during pregnancy is a major concern for mother and offspring health. Consequently, it is necessary to screen and detect the consumption of any substance of abuse among pregnant women attending prenatal units. Although its identification is still difficult, there are evidence supporting the efficacy of routine screening in clinical history or structured questionnaires in this regard . It is worth to mention that screening tools should be used multiple times during gestation as the patientphysician relationship progresses. Throughout the different sessions, patients are more confident with their clinician, being more open to disclose substance use problems.
Figure 2. Main characteristics of comprehensive treatment for women affecting by cannabis use disorder during pregnancy and lactation. MET, motivation enhancement treatment CBT, cognitivebehavioral coping skills training ContM, contingency management approach.
In summary, there are some key points to consider when planning treatment for women drug users during pregnancy and breastfeeding:
Evaluate the main determinants of health such as access to health services and the socioeconomic level.
Focus treatment on maternalfetal binomial, bearing particularly in mind the needs of mothers to increase the motivation to achieve abstinence and not exclusively the health of the baby.
Identify comorbidities, in particular psychiatric ones.
Avoid relapse during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
What Are The Potential Health Effects Of Using Marijuana During My Pregnancy
Although more research is needed to better understand how marijuana may affect you and your baby during pregnancy, it is recommended that pregnant persons do not use marijuana.3,4
- Some research shows that using marijuana while you are pregnant can cause health problems in newborns, including lower birth weight and abnormal neurological development.1
- Breathing marijuana smoke can also be bad for you and your baby. Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxic and cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco smoke.5 THC, the psychoactive or mind-altering compound in marijuana, may also be passed to infants through secondhand smoke.6
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Can Pregnant Women Smoke Marijuana
Pregnant women should not smoke marijuana. There are many different risks when marijuana is used during pregnancy, even when it is used in ways other than smoking. The chemicals in marijuana, especially tetrahydrocannabinol , can have negative impacts on the health of a mother and the child she is carrying.
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Can Marijuana Use Harm An Unborn Baby
Yes, marijuana use can cause harm to an unborn baby. It can have effects on the baby throughout the pregnancy, leading to higher rates of miscarriage and impaired fetal growth.
During the second trimester , the baby is developing its endocannabinoid system, and marijuana use during this time could disrupt that normal development.
Marijuana use during pregnancy has been associated with harms to the baby including:
-
THC , the psychoactive chemical that is in the marijuana plant that causes a high
-
CBD , which does not cause a high
We do know, however, that smoking marijuana can have additional negative consequences, and that secondhand marijuana smoke can harm babies and children.
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Animal Models Of Perinatal Cannabis Exposure
Cannabis use among pregnant and lactating women could be recapitulated, at least in part, by preclinical experimental approaches in rodents. These models are fundamental to explore precisely and systematically the specific neurobiological mechanisms altered by cannabinoid compounds during brain development and the consequences on behavior and cognition.
How Smoking Weed Affects Female Fertility
Much as cannabinoid receptors were found in sperm cells, they are present in the female ovaries, the uterine endometrium, and even the developing embryo. High levels of anandamide are necessary for successful ovulation, so it would seem at first glance that smoking weed would increase your chances of ovulation. Right?
Well, unfortunately, lower levels are advantageous for the binding of a fertilized egg to the uterine lining. The endocannabinoid system is incredibly fickle throughout the fertilization process. Tweaking the natural presence of anandamide can result in a great deal of pregnancy failure and female infertility.
Interestingly enough, the average time to conception was significantly shorter for women who had used marijuana regularly. Perhaps those females were having more sex due to the aphrodisiac effects of cannabis and, thereby, increased their chances of success?
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Offspring Neurodevelopment And Behavioral Outcomes
Currently, the literature does not strongly support an association between prenatal marijuana exposure and longer-term offspring outcomes such as sudden infant death syndrome, cognition, or academic achievement.19
Existing studies have described an effect on offspring neurological development from prenatal or postnatal marijuana exposure including trembling and a high-pitched cry in babies, decreased fine motor skills and abnormal social behavior in infants, decreased problem-solving skills and memory, symptoms of depression and anxiety, decreased attention span in school-aged children, and a predisposition toward delinquent behavior and vulnerability to drug addiction, including marijuana.19,27
Most recently, a large retrospective Canadian study found a significant association between maternal marijuana use in pregnancy and the incidence of autism spectrum disorder in the offspring.22 The rate of ASD diagnosis was 2.2% among children with in utero marijuana exposure. The incidence of ASD diagnosis was 4.00 per 1000 person-years among children exposed to cannabis compared with 2.42 among unexposed children.22
Prior human and animal studies have demonstrated that offspring prenatally exposed to THC have an increased risk for later substance use, delinquency of behavior, enhanced heroin-seeking profiles, and altered areas of the brain known to modify behavioral responses to various environmental stimuli associated with reward behaviors.19,35,36
Positive Pregnancy Tests Images
At-home pregnancy tests are designed to detect a hormone in your urine called human chorionic gonadotropin . This hormone is produced by the placenta shortly after the embryo attaches to the uterine wall. The level of hCG starts to increase rapidly after implantation. Most home pregnancy tests can detect hCG levels as low as 20 mIU/mL, which is generally considered to be the lower limit of a positive test.
A positive pregnancy test means that the hCG level in your urine is above the 20 mIU/mL mark. It does not mean that you are definitely pregnant. A negative pregnancy test means that the hCG level in your urine is below the 20 mIU/mL mark. It does not mean that you are definitely not pregnant.
If you take a home pregnancy test and get a positive result, you should contact your health care provider to schedule a blood test to confirm the pregnancy. A positive blood test is the only definitive way to determine whether or not you are pregnant.
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What Does Marijuana Do To You
Marijuana, or weed, acts on cannabinoid receptors in your brain, which stimulates the release of endorphins and alters how you experience sensations. The effect of marijuana on the brain can slow development in children or teenagers, but it can also lead to addiction in people of any age.
In addition to the effects that people use marijuana to experience, there are many long-term health problems that marijuana can create. The potential health effects of marijuana include:
- Mental health problems
- Increased risk of heart attack
- Increased risk of vascular disease
Widespread marijuana use is a newer phenomenon, and stronger, more concentrated forms are still being developed. New effects of marijuana are likely to be discovered as its use continues to grow.
Will Smoking Weed Affect Pregnancy Test
Results?
There is a lot of confusion surrounding the use of marijuana and its effect on pregnancy test results. Some people believe that marijuana can mask the presence of hCG in the urine, leading to a false negative pregnancy test result. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim.
It is also important to remember that not all home pregnancy tests are created equal. Some tests are more sensitive than others, and may be more likely to detect the presence of hCG in urine. If you are concerned about the accuracy of your home pregnancy test, you may want to consider using a more sensitive test kit.
If you are using a laboratory-based pregnancy test, the results will be more accurate than a home pregnancy test. However, even laboratory-based tests can be affected by marijuana use. If you are concerned about the accuracy of your pregnancy test results, you should talk to your healthcare provider.
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Why Marijuana Bump Science Is So Shaky
There are a few reasons why the research base on marijuana in pregnancy is so limited and inconclusive. Again, most of the evidence we have on weeds health impact on the fetus comes from research on smoking and there are many different ways people ingest cannabis nowadays, through edibles, oils, and vape devices to name just a few.
The THC content in weed has also shot up dramatically, which means it may be riskier to use while pregnant. So, as Young-Wolff of Kaiser told me, A lot of the research that has been done is quite old and doesnt reflect the current marijuana landscape or the THC levels in todays products.
The studies out there also tend to be small, without enough statistical power to accurately detect relationships they often rely on self-reported data, which is flawed when it comes to substance use. A lot of the research also didnt control for confounding factors or all the non-weed variables that may bias the results of studies.
Pregnant marijuana users often use other drugs in pregnancy, Young-Wolff explained, and prior studies havent been able to differentiate which effects are due to marijuana or other drugs they may be using.
Finally, the federal government still classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 substance the same legal and regulatory league as heroin and that means researchers need to jump through all kinds of hoops to run studies.
*These names have been changed to protect the identity of the women.
Will Using Marijuana Affect Our Chances Of Getting Pregnant
It may. Some studies have shown that using marijuana repeatedly is associated with significantly lower concentrations of reproductive hormones in both men and women.
Lower concentrations of the hormone testosterone may result in decreased sperm counts in men. And lower dehydroepiandrosterone may affect egg production in women.
In addition, THC makes its way into the reproductive tract of women using marijuana and reduces sperm mobility, decreasing the chances of fertilization.
Perhaps the best reason to give up drugs now is that its not safe to use pot during pregnancy.
Some studies suggest that using marijuana regularly during pregnancy puts your baby at higher risk for premature birth and low birth weight. And because smoking weed increases carbon monoxide levels in the bloodstream, the baby gets less oxygen, which may affect his growth.
Other studies show that children exposed to marijuana in their mothers wombs have different brain activity and more disturbed sleeping patterns as toddlers. They may also eventually suffer from depression or have behavior problems, such as impulsiveness and attention deficits. And some studies point to a link between prenatal marijuana exposure and lower school test scores.
If you use pot, I suggest waiting a month or so after your last hit before trying to conceive since it takes that long to get all traces of the drug out of your system.
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