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Pregnancy does not mix well with cannabis

Published on September 24, 2020 by Special to the oz.

A new study is advising women not to use cannabis while pregnant.

The key points are —

Question: Is prenatal exposure to cannabis associated with child outcomes?

Findings: This cross-sectional analysis of 11,489 children (655 exposed to cannabis prenatally) found that prenatal cannabis exposure after maternal knowledge of pregnancy was associated with greater psychopathology during middle childhood, even after accounting for potentially confounding variables.

Meaning: Prenatal cannabis exposure may increase risk for psychopathology; consistent with recent recommendations by the Surgeon General of the United States, these data suggest that cannabis use during pregnancy should be discouraged by clinicians and dispensaries.

Importance: In light of increasing cannabis use among pregnant women, the US Surgeon General recently issued an advisory against the use of marijuana during pregnancy.

Objective: To evaluate whether cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes among offspring.

Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that prenatal cannabis exposure and its correlated factors are associated with greater risk for psychopathology during middle childhood. Cannabis use during pregnancy should be discouraged.