Does Cannabis Harm Unborn Babies? By Anna Wilcox May 2018 (Green Flower)
For this reason, most health professionals
encourage pregnant women to avoid
cannabis. But, what do we know about
cannabis during pregnancy? What are the
biggest concerns for partaking in the herb?
It’s in our nature to seek concrete, clear
answers. Yet, when it comes to the question
of whether or not it’s safe to consume
cannabis during pregnancy, clear answers are
few and far between.
The impacts of cannabis consumption are
drastically understudied, which means that
the information available is based on poor-
quality research that makes it difficult to
determine what impacts the herb might have.
This guide is intended to highlight recent
research on cannabis use during pregnancy,
the good and the bad. Unfortunately, this
guide will not provide a definitive answer on
whether or not cannabis harms unborn babies.
Why? There is simply not an answer at this
time. However, mothers are encouraged to
talk to medical professionals and seek out as
much information as possible before making
the decision to partake.
The trouble with research on cannabis and
pregnancy
However, regardless of unknown side effects,
more women than ever are consuming
cannabis during pregnancy.
In fact, from 2009 to 2016, research found that
the number of women who reported
consuming the herb while pregnant jumped
from 4.2 to 7.1 percent.
Whether this is because more women are
coming clean about consuming the herb or
whether or not more mothers are actually
consuming the herb, it’s difficult to say.
Yet, this statistic raises concerns among many
health professionals. The overall effects of
cannabis on an unborn baby are unknown, so
no medical professionals can make any sound
judgments on the matter.
What is known is that the herb works by
engaging in a chemical network in the body
that is important for the development of the
brain and nervous system.
However, no one knows for sure what
happens to a baby’s nervous system when it is
exposed to high levels of cannabis
compounds.
It is unethical to give pregnant women
cannabis to see whether or not the herb causes
significant damage on a child once it is born.
Therefore, there is no research available that
gives a conclusive answer as to whether or not
prenatal cannabis use harms unborn babies.
However, the lack of consistent and definitive
research on this topic gives reason to be
cautious and seek out more information
before partaking in the herb while pregnant.
When looking for quality research, it’s always
important to prioritise large-scale studies.
Right now, much of the significant research
on the impact of cannabis consumption during
pregnancy stems from only three major
studies.