How Does Smoking Weed Affect Your Pregnancy

What About Once Your Baby Is Born

Will smoking marijuana affect a woman’s ability to get pregnant?

It is important your baby has limited exposure to second-hand smoke even once he/she is born. Babies in contact with second-hand smoke are more likely to develop SIDS. In addition, children exposed to second-hand smoke experience negative effects on their immune system.They are more likely to have ear infections, colds, respiratory ailments, and teeth problems. Third-hand smoke is likely to be as harmful as second-hand smoke to your infant, so it is important to keep your child away from areas that contain third-hand smoke residue.

Compiled using information from the following sources:

1. The Dangers of Secondhand Smoke.

2. Peterson, Tara & Mittal, Manoj K. . Apparently Life-Threatening Event and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Florin, Todd A. & Ludwig, Stephen , Aronson, Paul L. & Werner, Heidi C. , Netters Pediatrics . Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders.

3. Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center . . Thirdhand smoke poses danger to unborn babies lungs, study finds. ScienceDaily.

4. Mitchell, Teresa J. . Third-Hand Smoke Affects Your Baby.

. Smoking During Pregnancy. Retrieved from:

Cannabis And Autism Explained

by Peter Hess / 7 September 2020
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Over the past decade, autistic people and their families have increasingly experimented with medical marijuana and products derived from it. Many hope these compounds will alleviate a range of autism-related traits and problems. But scientists are still in the early stages of rigorous research into marijuanas safety and effectiveness, which means that people who pursue it as treatment must rely mostly on anecdotal information from friends and message boards for guidance.

Here we explain what researchers know about the safety and effectiveness of cannabis for autism and related conditions.

What is medical marijuana?Medical marijuana generally refers to any product derived from cannabis plants including dried flowers, resins and oils that has been recommended by a doctor. It may be consumed directly or infused into an array of foods, lozenges and candies. These products have become popular among autistic people and their families for treating a broad swath of conditions, including insomnia, epilepsy and chronic pain.

Is medical marijuana legal?Yes and no. Federal law in the United States classifies marijuana and its derivatives as Schedule 1 drugs, meaning that they have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule 1 drugs are illegal, and research on them requires labs to follow strict security protocols and adhere to regular facility inspections.

References:

Does Cannabis Cause Autism

Although the study offers some pretty startling results, there is not enough evidence to suggest that cannabis is a direct cause of autism. Furthermore, the study has a few limitations that needs to be considered.

Firstly, self-reporting risks bias and is not a reliable source of data. There is a further risk of under-reporting or giving false information. This may be the case in those who want to avoid potential involvement of child-protective services or negative judgement.

Secondly, the data that was given from BORN did not indicate the frequency, trimester, or duration of cannabis use. Therefore, making it impossible to know the severity of cannabis use or whether or not frequency decreased throughout the pregnancy. This also questions what forms of administration were used and dosage levels of use.

Thirdly, the percentage of reported cannabis users was relatively small in comparison to the overall population. This can question the statistical significance of the result.

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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 .

What Is Marijuana And How Can It Affect Your Fetus

Effects of smoking during pregnancy, diabetes and getting ...
  • Women who consume marijuana before becoming pregnant are more likely to consume this drug during pregnancy.
  • Research data indicates that marijuana smokers are more likely to consume alcohol, nicotine and other legal or illicit drugs
  • Pregnant women who consume one or more drugs are usually malnourished and weak .
  • Exposure to active chemicals during developmental stages may impair the growth by interfering with the DNA components and protein building.

What are some common complications that are reported in mothers who consume marijuana before pregnancy? A new study published in Pediatric Research journal gives a detailed account of complications and adverse effects that are reported in 24,874 pregnant cannabis consumers. Report suggested that most frequently encountered complications are:

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How Marijuana Affects Infant Physical Development

  • Overall birth weight tends to be decreased if a baby is exposed to marijuana during pregnancy.
  • Higher risk of leukemia One study found that children may be at a greater risk of developing leukemia if their mothers smoked while they were in the womb.
  • Lack of physical activity Past research has shown that mothers who smoked marijuana during pregnancy tend to have less active children.
  • Reduced length The length of your baby may be reduced.
  • Smaller head circumference Babies end up being born with smaller average head circumferences.

Will My Baby Be Okay If I Quit Smoking Weed At 20 Weeks Pregnant

By the time you are around five months or 20 weeks pregnant, your baby is around halfway formed. A full 50% of his or her development has already taken place, and quitting weed now cant turn back the clock. Still, if you just discovered that youre pregnant at 20 weeks, its never too late to protect your child from further danger.

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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

Final Verdict To Smoking Weed While Pregnant

How Does Smoking Affect Your Fertility?

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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Can Drug Use Cause Autism

There is no medication or illegal drug taken before or during pregnancy that in itself causes babies to be born with ASD.

Certain genes are likely required for ASD and are triggered by various environmental factors that raise the risk of developing ASD.

As an example of environmental factors, the risk of ASD is higher for children with older parents, as well as those with mothers in worse general health before pregnancy. In fact, a womans age and health seems to play a more critical role than the drugs she takes.

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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.

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Is Medical Marijuana Safe For Pregnant Mothers

Medical marijuana is not regulated or approved by the Food and Drug Administration nor is it recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Talk to your prenatal care provider about safer options if you are pregnant and are considering smoking marijuana to help morning sickness or if you use marijuana for medical or recreational purposes.

Any marijuana use can affect your ability to think clearly, stay alert, make good decisions and respond to the needs of your baby. Marijuana use includes:

  • Smoking marijuana, including dabs
  • Eating or smoking wax or hash
  • Any other methods, including creams or lotions

Using marijuana can alter your judgment and put you at a higher risk for dizziness, putting you at risk of injury and falls, which can be harmful for the mother and baby.

Other health risks of smoking marijuana include:

  • Damage to your lungs
  • Lowered level of oxygen in your body, which increases the risk of breathing problems
  • Increase in anemia

Chain Reaction: What Happens If You Smoke Weed While Pregnant

Pin on ⢠HEALTH ⢠FITNESS

Before concluding whether it is ideal to smoke marijuana while pregnant because only tobacco is deemed dangerous, ask yourself, does smoking weed affect pregnancy? It is a bit difficult to determine the exact impact marijuana has on the body while pregnant. However, medically, marijuana is rarely prescribed to pregnant women to cure nausea, pain and muscle cramps but no controls or regulations for this kind of solution so this option might be discussed as an alternative with a doctor. Tetrahydrocannabinol , the substance most responsible for the psychoactive effects, has been shown to cross the placenta, transports to the brain of the fetus

Before concluding whether it is ideal to smoke marijuana while pregnant because only tobacco is deemed dangerous, ask yourself, does smoking weed affect pregnancy? It is a bit difficult to determine the exact impact marijuana has on the body while pregnant. However, medically, marijuana is rarely prescribed to pregnant women to cure nausea, pain and muscle cramps but no controls or regulations for this kind of solution so this option might be discussed as an alternative with a doctor. Tetrahydrocannabinol , the substance most responsible for the psychoactive effects, has been shown to cross the placenta, transports to the brain of the fetus

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Clearly you can say, Dont smoke during pregnancy no matter what youre smoking. But for the remainder, its the precautionary principle: Until we know more you probably shouldnt do it, McCormick summed up.

The NAS report drilled down into other health effects during pregnancy, like whether the babies of moms who used marijuana are more likely to wind up in the NICU or experience sudden infant death syndrome and cognitive and academic achievement challenges later in life. And on these important questions, it was equivocal: The researchers found limited, insufficient, or no evidence.

Still, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists say that there are no approved indications or recommendations regarding prenatal marijuana use even though the impact of prenatal cannabis use isnt yet fully understood.

Even so, Young-Wolff said. sufficient evidence an association between prenatal marijuana use and lower offspring birth weight, and limited research shows a correlation with some developmental delays or difficulties with executive functioning in the child like problems with impulse control and attention. And thats enough to make health professionals wary.

Risks To A Childs Brain Development

Use of cannabis during pregnancy may affect a childs brain development, behaviour and mental health into adolescence and early adulthood. The effects may be permanent. If a mother uses cannabis daily, some of the risks for the child may be:

Age 0 3 years:

  • May try and/or use cannabis earlier
  • Continue to be hyperactive, impulsive and less attentive

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Begs The Question: Is Smoking Weed During Pregnancy Bad

Medical research has not been able to prove for sure why pregnant women should not smoke marijuana as most of the research work are either speculative or not exclusive to marijuana effects only. However, there are several patterns that show that smoking week during pregnancy can cause more harm than good to a woman and her baby.

Medical experts, even in the small localities where medical marijuana is legal, are more likely to prescribe alternatives to smoking pot or vaporizing. This is because marijuana is more likely to have the same effect as tobacco and alcohol in pregnant women and there is a higher chance to indulge the three altogether. Also, it cannot be ascertained which stage of pregnancy is more affected by smoking weed.

Medical research has not been able to prove for sure why pregnant women should not smoke marijuana as most of the research work are either speculative or not exclusive to marijuana effects only. However, there are several patterns that show that smoking week during pregnancy can cause more harm than good to a woman and her baby.

Medical experts, even in the small localities where medical marijuana is legal, are more likely to prescribe alternatives to smoking pot or vaporizing. This is because marijuana is more likely to have the same effect as tobacco and alcohol in pregnant women and there is a higher chance to indulge the three altogether. Also, it cannot be ascertained which stage of pregnancy is more affected by smoking weed.

Smoking Weed While Pregnant: What Are The Risks

How smoking affects your baby when you’re pregnant – an expert view from a midwife

Cannabis, also referred to as weed, bud, pot, or marijuana, is obtained from the Cannabis plant. Cannabis plants produce more than 400 chemicals and more than 60 cannabinoids, which can have both mental and physical effects when consumed. Using cannabis can impact the health of a developing baby. As more states legalize marijuana, research indicates that more moms-to-be are smoking weed. Read on to learn about the potential risks of smoking weed while pregnant.

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What Are The Risks Of Smoking Marijuana While Pregnant

Studies have shown that daily or weekly marijuana use may make your pregnancy more high-risk.

Research has found that babies born to moms who use pot are more likely to end up in the NICU compared to other babies, be underweight at birth, be born prematurely , and/or have smaller heads at birth. It can also increase the risk of stillbirth.

Using pot can also alter your judgment and make you dizzy, adding to the faintness some pregnant women experience and to the risk of injury or falls.

A number of studies have also suggested that the health risks of smoking marijuana during pregnancy may extend to the fetus’ brain. One group of researchers found that the area of the brain controlling emotion, called the amygdala, showed abnormal function in male fetuses whose mothers smoked pot during pregnancy.

And because marijuana can affect memory and cognitive ability in adults, researchers believe it might have a similar impact on a developing baby-to-be. Marijuana is known to have an impact on a fetus’ brain neurotransmitters and biochemistry, as well as the intake of oxygen, and it can alter fetal heart rate.

Because marijuana can stay in the system for a prolonged period of time, a baby’s exposure to it in utero might be longer than the mother realizes.

Baby Inside Put The Cannabis Aside

Choosing to carry a baby to term can be one of the most frightening things a woman faces in life. Even more intimidating is the prospect of caring for and loving your child for the rest of your life regardless of who they may turn out to be.

Do your best to ensure your baby will be happy and healthy forever by making your womb as perfect an environment as it can be. Your child has no need for THC during development, and any cannabinoids that reach his or her brain may cause skewed development that lasts a lifetime.

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