For nearly five decades, medical professionals have understood the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy, particularly with the emergence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in the 1970s. This condition highlighted the risks posed to children exposed to alcohol in the womb, leading many women to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy. However, the same caution has not been universally applied to marijuana. In fact, new research suggests a surprising trend: a significant number of women continue to use marijuana during pregnancy, potentially unaware of the risks it may pose to their unborn children.
A recent study conducted by National Medical Services (NMS) Labs, a laboratory testing services provider in Horsham, PA, analyzed over 90,000 umbilical cord samples collected over the past five years. The findings were startling—nearly 20% of these samples tested positive for cannabis, another term for marijuana. As marijuana becomes increasingly legalized and destigmatized across the United States, its use is rising across all demographics, including pregnant women.
Dr. Kari Midthun, a forensic toxicologist at NMS Labs, highlighted that the growing availability of cannabis and the shift in societal attitudes toward its use have contributed to this trend. Many people now view marijuana as a natural and safe option, even during pregnancy. Some women may turn to marijuana to alleviate common prenatal symptoms such as morning sickness, anxiety, and depression. However, experts are urging caution, emphasizing that our understanding of marijuana’s risks to pregnant women and their developing babies is also evolving.
Kelly C. Young-Wolff, PhD, MPH, a clinical psychologist and research scientist at Kaiser Permanente, has been at the forefront of this research. Her studies on maternal health outcomes have revealed alarming connections between marijuana use during pregnancy and various complications. Women who used marijuana in early pregnancy faced a 17% increased risk of pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, an 8% higher risk of preeclampsia, and a 19% higher risk of placental abruption—a serious condition where the placenta detaches from the uterine wall before childbirth. These findings underscore the growing body of evidence indicating that marijuana use during pregnancy is far from safe.
Young-Wolff advises pregnant women to consult their healthcare providers about safer alternatives, especially if they are experiencing prenatal symptoms that may prompt them to consider marijuana. The dangers extend beyond the mothers themselves; infants exposed to marijuana in utero are also at risk. Dr. Torri Metz, a maternal-fetal medicine expert at the University of Utah Health, notes that the most common concern is low birth weight. She explains that numerous studies have consistently shown that babies born to mothers who used cannabis during pregnancy tend to be smaller.
An analysis published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology reviewed 16 studies involving nearly 60,000 women. The results were concerning: marijuana use during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of preterm deliveries and decreased birth weight in newborns. While the long-term risks of prenatal marijuana exposure are harder to pinpoint, some research suggests potential issues with brain development. Dr. Kyle Walsh, an associate professor of neurosurgery and pathology at Duke University, points to studies linking marijuana use during pregnancy to a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD and autism.
Perhaps even more alarming are the potential connections between prenatal marijuana exposure and certain forms of childhood cancer. Dr. Walsh’s research, published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention, found that prenatal marijuana use was linked to an increased risk of central nervous system tumors, including specific types of childhood brain tumors and eye tumors. These cancers appear to be related to early brain development, suggesting that marijuana may pose the greatest risk during the initial stages of pregnancy—often before a woman even realizes she is pregnant.
Dr. Walsh emphasizes the importance of understanding that fetal neurodevelopment begins as early as 12 to 14 weeks of gestation. If a woman continues to use marijuana until she discovers her pregnancy, it may already be too late to prevent some of the potential harm. This makes it crucial for women who are trying to conceive or who could become pregnant to carefully consider their marijuana use.
As the medical community continues to study the effects of marijuana use during pregnancy, one question remains: does the mode of consumption matter? Whether marijuana is smoked, consumed as an edible, or used in another form, the body still processes the active compounds, which can cross the placenta and potentially affect the developing fetus. The impact of cannabidiol (CBD) products, which do not contain THC (the psychoactive component of cannabis), is still largely unknown, but research in this area is expected to expand in the coming years.
Dr. Metz highlights the need for greater education on this issue, noting that many of her patients are unaware of the risks marijuana poses to their unborn children. She encourages healthcare providers to discuss safer alternatives with their patients. For instance, vitamin B6 supplements and over-the-counter medications like doxylamine (Unisom) can help manage morning sickness, while anxiety and depression can often be treated with therapy and certain prescription medications.
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