2023-12-12 18:18:54
Exposure to cannabis is associated with a 1.5 times increased risk of unhealthy outcomes during pregnancy, according to research conducted at the University of Utah Health (USA) and published in the magazine ‘JAMA‘.
The research, focused on the consumption of cannabis during pregnancy, reveals that pregnant women who use cannabis have a rate of unhealthy birth outcomes of 25.9%, compared to 17.4% among those who do not use cannabis.
The study, which included more than 9,000 pregnant women in the US, addressed cannabis exposure more precisely than previous studies, allowing researchers to distinguish the effects of cannabis from other correlated health conditions.
Robert Silver, author of the study, warns that “cannabis use is not safe” during pregnancy, as it increases the risk of complications. The study highlighted the association between cannabis exposure and harmful effects, especially low birth weight.
The lead author, Torri Metz, assures that there is a lot of information about cannabis use during pregnancy on social networks and the Internet, but although some previous studies did not find associations, Metz explains that the initial differences between people who consume and those who do not use cannabis during pregnancy, as different rates of anxiety and depression, may affect pregnancy outcomes.
The study, by including a large population of more than 9,000 womenwas able to address these differences and established a significant association.
Thus, cannabis exposure was linked to a 1.5-fold increase in risk, with 26% of exposed pregnant women experiencing unhealthy outcomes, compared to 17% of those not exposed.
Cannabis may interfere with blood supply to the placenta
The study assessed several negative health outcomes during pregnancy, including low birth weight, pregnancy-related high blood pressure, stillbirth, and medically indicated preterm birth. The strongest association was found with low birth weight, an effect related to reduced placental function..
Although the study cannot determine why cannabis is associated with negative outcomes, it is speculated that it may interfere with the blood supply to the placenta, based on studies in non-human primates.
Silver warns of additional risk with newer, more concentrated cannabis products, whose health impacts remain largely unknown.
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