Marijuana Can Affect Fetal Development, Even If Used Early in Pregnancy

TUESDAY, May 16, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- As recreational marijuana usage rises, immoderate dispensaries are recommending it arsenic a remedy for greeting sickness, but caller investigation warns that utilizing it during gestation whitethorn importantly impact fetal growth.

While fetal vulnerability to cannabis successful early gestation tin trim commencement weight, those effects tin go much terrible if usage continues passim nan pregnancy, according to researchers astatine Central Michigan University successful Mount Pleasant, Mich.

“We show that moreover erstwhile marijuana usage occurred only successful nan first trimester of pregnancy, commencement weight was importantly reduced, by much than 150 grams (5.3 ounces) connected average,” said elder study writer Dr. Beth Bailey, a professor and head of organization wellness research. “If that usage continued into nan 2nd trimester, newborn caput circumference was importantly decreased arsenic well.”

Newborn size is 1 of nan strongest predictors of later wellness and development, said first writer Dr. Phoebe Dodge, an incoming pediatric resident astatine University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital successful Cleveland.

The study, published May 16 successful Frontiers successful Pediatrics, recovered that babies who had continued vulnerability to cannabis successful nan womb were astir 200 grams (7 ounces) lighter astatine birth. Their caput circumference was astir 1 centimeter (0.39 inches) smaller than that of babies not exposed to cannabis.

“Size deficits were largest among newborns exposed to marijuana passim gestation,” Bailey said successful a diary news release.

The study recovered that occasional usage of cannabis, arsenic for first-trimester greeting sickness, whitethorn trim fetal maturation successful nan aforesaid measurement arsenic continued usage passim pregnancy. This was besides existent for utilizing cannabis earlier a female was alert of nan pregnancy.

The study did not person information connected really overmuch aliases really often participants utilized cannabis. Results were based connected whether group did aliases did not usage it astatine definite times successful pregnancy.

The researchers were not capable to find if location was a nexus betwixt dense usage and much pronounced outcomes successful newborn growth. They said much investigation was needed.

“The champion proposal is that women should beryllium advised to discontinue marijuana usage anterior to becoming pregnant,” Dodge said.

Quitting arsenic soon arsenic imaginable aft getting pregnant is nan second-best option, nan study authors advised.

More information

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has much connected having a patient pregnancy.

SOURCE: Frontiers successful Pediatrics, news release, May 16, 2023