USA Today (8/14, Thornton, O’Donnell) reports despite mounting evidence that marijuana consumption during pregnancy is harmful, many women continue to use marijuana. For example, a study recently published in JAMA found a “sharp increase in the number of pregnant women smoking marijuana and an alarming link between cannabis use and preterm births, defined as 37 weeks or earlier.” Another JAMA study “concluded marijuana is ‘likely unsafe’ because pre-term births were twice as common in marijuana users vs. non users. (12% vs 6.1%).” Meanwhile, women may be subject to misinformation, as an NIH study of “over 400 Colorado dispensaries found nearly 70% recommended treatment of morning sickness with cannabis.” Furthermore, some women may be fearful of discussing marijuana use with their clinicians. Moreover, “with mixed messaging on marijuana in the U.S., pregnant women in need of relief are not able to make fully-informed decisions, physicians say.”
Related Links:
— “Weed while pregnant: Far more common and concerning than many realize, “Claire Thornton and Jayne O’Donnell, USA Today, August 14, 2019