Cannabis in pregnancy

Bearing a child is a unique moment in a woman's life. Sometimes this happens in a planned way, but in 55% of cases (data from the National School of Public Health of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation ), the pregnancy happens without planning.

When the news that the woman is going to be a mother arrives, she is faced with a series of changes and choices that will need to be made for her well-being and also for the baby that is being generated.

For many expectant mothers, the decision about whether or not to use cannabis during pregnancy is also put in question. Can the plant harm the baby generation? And for the mother, is there any danger considering that the woman's body changes a lot during this period?

Some studies on cannabis use during pregnancy have been conducted and others are ongoing. Despite this, the volume of scientific production on the subject is still low . The purpose of this article is to show what is already known so that the woman has more foundation when making a choice.

Cannabis in pregnancy: what does the science say?

Studies on the effects of cannabis on pregnancy are still scarce and there is a need to conduct much more research to find out how this powerful plant works in the body of pregnant women.

The SUS physician, Dr. Alice Weber, explains that the issue is still at a very early stage of studies, and scientists are not able to say with certainty from what amount of cannabis it would eventually become harmful to the fetus. “We don't know if there is a limit amount for a safe use of cannabis, we know that the effects can be more harmful when consumption is done in high doses, but it is not certain that consuming too little can't be harmful either”, she explains.

Dr. Alice further explains that doctors have noticed a tendency for babies of mothers who smoked cannabis throughout their pregnancy to be underweight.

What is known is that cannabis plays a huge role in the nervous system . Our brain has CB1 and CB2 receptors that together form the Endocannabinoid System and react to the cannabinoids in marijuana. It is this reaction that helps explain the medicinal power of marijuana in treating many diseases such as epilepsy and autism .

However, ingestion of cannabinoids during pregnancy can compromise the formation of the baby's nervous system, which is still developing the brain and brain receptors, including CB1 and CB2. “CB1 regulates the implantation of the blastocyst, which would be the beginning of the embryo. From these receptors, the embryo forms the nervous system”, adds Dr. Alice.

Furthermore, during pregnancy, the interaction between endogenous and exogenous cannabinoids can be harmful to fetal neuronal formation. This is because endogenous cannabinoids are the ones that regulate the production of glutamate, whereas exogenous cannabinoids can neutralize this functionality and thus interfere with the neuronal development of the fetus.

This is why the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has explicitly recommended that pregnant women and nursing mothers stop using cannabis during this time. Despite acknowledging the medicinal benefits of marijuana, the doctors in question made the recommendation because there are not enough studies to show whether it is safe for both mother and baby to use marijuana during pregnancy.

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed data contained in the Ontario Better Outcomes Registry & Network. The researchers evaluated information from about 661,000 Canadian women who gave birth at least 20 weeks pregnant between April 2012 and December 2017. Of this total, 5,539 women smoked marijuana during pregnancy.

The results of this statistical analysis showed that cannabis use during pregnancy increased the number of preterm births (10.2% among smokers versus 7.2% among non-smokers); It also increased cases of placental abruption, which were 6.1% among cannabis-smoking mothers versus 4% among non-smokers.

As you can see, among the available analyzes, there is a concern from doctors about the use of cannabis in pregnancy, especially with regard to the formation of the fetus. Before making any decision, it is important to talk openly with an obstetrician gynecologist he trusts and bring to him any doubts you may have.

Pregnant woman's relationship with cannabis

For many women, using cannabis is not just a means of getting “in the breeze”. It is a philosophy of life , an intimate moment and an opportunity to develop self-knowledge. This is why the decision whether or not to discontinue the use of the plant during pregnancy can lead to long periods of internal debate.

From the moment a woman becomes aware that she is generating another life, she starts to feel responsible for herself and for the fetus that is being generated. Everything she does can have consequences for the unborn child, including smoking.

There are women who decide to stop using cannabis during pregnancy, without this in any way meaning that they are cutting off their relationship with cannabis. It's just a momentary choice that took into account what the woman thought was best for her and the baby.

Others decide not to discontinue use, but to decrease the frequency. And there are those who decide to keep using cannabis regularly even during pregnancy. These are individual choices and that each woman must make alone or in conversation with her partner.

As a biomedical scientist and a scientist who has studied cannabis for years, I do not encourage the use of cannabis during pregnancy and also while breastfeeding. The risks that the plant can bring to the baby outweigh the possible benefits at this specific stage. As I said earlier, the final choice is up to the mother, but temporarily stopping cannabis use does not mean abandoning the plant . It's just a momentary choice aimed at the baby's health.

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