According to a major study, one in 50 pregnant women use marijuana in places where the drug is legal, despite the huge health risks it poses to babies.
Researchers in Canada, where marijuana can be used recreationally, surveyed 1.2 million expectant mothers over a six-year period.
Twenty thousand admitted to taking the drug while carrying their child, which is probably an underestimate as some women may not have been telling the truth.
Analysis of her medical records showed that marijuana use was associated with a 70 percent increased risk of a serious birth defect and a 15 percent increased risk of stillbirth.
Women who used marijuana during pregnancy were 85 percent more likely to have a premature birth, which can lead to health complications for the baby.
Researchers from Perinatal Services British Columbia said in the study, “Additional action is needed to educate the public … about the inherent risks of cannabis exposure during pregnancy.”
The fear is growing: More and more American women are taking the drug during pregnancy.
Surveys suggest that up to seven percent of women in the US are pregnant, but in California the rate is as high as 20 percent in some age groups.
Cannabis was legalized for recreational use in Canada in October 2018. In the US, 21 states have now greenlit the drug for recreational use, with Maryland and Missouri only making the list this month.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urges pregnant women not to use cannabis due to the health risks. It comes after a major study last week warned that the legalization of marijuana would lead to an increase in alcohol use.
A total of 20,000 expectant mothers out of the 1.2 million mothers surveyed in the six-year study admitted to taking the drug during pregnancy (stock photo)
The association between recreational marijuana use and alcohol consumption was most significant among younger adults aged 18 to 24, although the association between the two is unlikely to be due to college partying.
In the study, published today in PLOS One, scientists analyzed the medical records of 1.2 million Canadian women from 2012 to 2019.
The majority were 20 to 29 years old and 56 percent had their first pregnancy.
Women with twins or triplets were excluded from the study because these babies are more likely to be born earlier or smaller.
Each participant self-reported when she was hospitalized to give birth and whether she had used marijuana during pregnancy.
The method of consumption of marijuana is not specified, but it can be smoking the drug or using it as an edible. The result of the delivery was also recorded and whether there was an anomaly.
The researchers controlled for other risk factors, including maternal age, obesity status, national level and pre-existing diabetes.
Mothers who used marijuana were eight out of ten more likely to have complications.
The greatest increased risk was for low birth weight — babies who weighed less than 5.5 pounds — with about a 90 percent higher risk.
Babies exposed to the drug in the womb were 73 percent more likely to have a very early birth (before 32 weeks).
There was also a 21 percent greater risk of being short for her age and a 6 percent greater risk of being tall for her age.
Expectant mothers who used marijuana were 32 percent more likely to have gestational diabetes and 13 percent more likely to have a C-section.
Babies born with a lower or premature birth weight are at increased risk for a number of conditions, including learning disabilities, vision problems and behavioral problems.
They may also have difficulty eating or gaining weight and are more prone to breathing problems or infections.
Sabrina Luke, a graduate student who led the study and works at Perinatal Services British Columbia, warned that studies show cannabis can cross the placenta and enter the fetus.
At the moment, scientists fear that the drug will somehow interfere with the development process.
Smoking tobacco during pregnancy is known to cause tissue damage in unborn babies, especially in the lungs and brain.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
