CNN
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Babies born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy are twice as likely to be underweight and almost twice as likely to be born prematurely than those who did not use marijuana, new study finds. It turned out that.
The study found that infants exposed to cannabis were 2.5 times more likely to be admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit compared to unexposed infants.
“We know that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, crosses the placenta from mother to fetus and can bind to receptors in the fetus’s brain,” the lead author, Toronto said University Postdoctoral Researcher Mariam Soukhow. statement.
“Our study furthers that knowledge by showing that prenatal cannabis exposure increases the risk of several adverse birth outcomes.”
Marijuana use by pregnant women has increased in recent decades in other countries, including the United States and Canada. In 2019, the National Institute on Drug Abuse analyzed more than 450,000 pregnant women in the United States between the ages of 12 and 44 and found that they used marijuana. more than doubled From 2002 to 2017.
The study found that the majority of marijuana use occurred during the first three months of pregnancy and was primarily for recreational rather than medical purposes.
However, the first trimester may be one of the most vulnerable periods for the developing brain of the fetus. THC (the compound in marijuana that gets you high) not only enters the fetal brain from the mother’s bloodstream, but once there, it can affect the baby’s developing brain.
Studies have discovered that cannabis receptors are present in the brains of animals as early as 5 to 6 weeks of gestation.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, past studies have linked marijuana use during pregnancy to lower birth weight, impulsivity, hyperactivity, attention problems, and other cognitive and behavioral problems in children. It is shown that
There is also a link to autism. A 2020 study found that women who used cannabis during pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism.
New reviews posted Thursday: journal addictionanalyzed 57 studies with a total of nearly 13 million infant participants. More than 100,000 of these infants were exposed to cannabis in utero.
I have some good news. The study did not find an increased risk of birth defects with cannabis use. They also found no association between in utero marijuana exposure and death within 1 year, including sudden unexpected infant death (SIDS).
However, mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy were 2.6 times more likely to give birth to a low birth weight baby. contribute to difficulties In diet, weight gain, and fighting infections.
Beth Bailey, professor of psychology and director of population health research at Central Michigan University School of Medicine in Mount Pleasant, told CNN in May that “low birth weight is the most powerful predictor of a child’s health and long-term development. This is one of the major factors.”
“These children have higher rates of developmental delays, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), learning disabilities, and higher rates of emotional problems,” she says.
In fact, a meta-analysis found that babies exposed in utero have shorter attention spans and more behavioral problems in infancy and early childhood.
Furthermore, the study found that mothers who used cannabis were 1.7 times more likely to have their newborn born prematurely, compared to mothers who did not use cannabis.
Premature babies can suffer from breathing problems Lack of development of the heart, lungs, brain, metabolism, digestive system, and immune system. In fact, the study also found that infants born to mothers who used marijuana were 2.5 times more likely to require hospitalization for intensive care.
Experts say women who use marijuana should discuss the issue with their doctors as soon as they find out they’re pregnant.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has the following warning on its website: “Due to concerns about neurodevelopmental impairment and exposure of the mother and fetus to the harmful effects of smoking, women should be encouraged to stop using marijuana.”
However, research shows that many young women are not honest about their use. In one study of women under the age of 24, It was about twice as likely This is to screen for positive tests for marijuana use beyond what is reported by self-report.
