Cannabis, marijuana, weed: whatever you call it, more and more people are using it, including pregnant women. In a report from 2017, 12.1% of pregnant women reported using cannabis during their first trimester, and more than 3% reported using it daily or near daily. But is it safe?
Let’s first talk about what it is, and why people use it.
Marijuana is a mixture of dried flowers from the cannabis plant. It contains cannabinoids that enter the bloodstream and interact with the endocannabinoid system in your body. This system uses these chemicals, which mimic the endocannabinoids your body makes, to affect many biological processes like fertility, pregnancy, appetite, and mood.
The 2 main cannabinoids in marijuana are:
• THC, the one that causes the “high” feeling,
• And CBD, the one that helps your body. CBD is now used to treat a variety of medical issues including seizure disorders, pain, and PTSD.
Although marijuana is gaining popularity, it hasn’t been proven safe for use during pregnancy.
Most doctors advise that pregnant women don’t use marijuana at all because some studies have associated it with a risk of:
• abnormal brain development
• low birth weight
• stillbirth
• and preterm birth.
Getting high could also make you clumsy or more likely to fall, or it could make it hard for you to take care of yourself and your baby.
More research is needed before we know the actual risks and benefits of marijuana use during pregnancy, but you should approach it with caution.
Tell your doctor if you use or are planning to use marijuana while you are pregnant.
• Visit us at https://www.pregistry.com
