Pregnancy and Cannabis

Pregnancy and Cannabis

There is a lot of doubt if you should use cannabis during pregnancy, with the main doubt being the potential side effects and risks, for the mother and the unborn child.

 

Pregnancy is a fantastic thing, but it usually comes with a handful of symptoms, including anxiety, insomnia, cramps, migraines, pain, stress, depression, morning sickness, etc. Nevertheless, these symptoms can affect how you live your daily life.

 

Surprisingly, several studies on cannabis have shown its ability to treat the symptoms that come with pregnancy, which has made more expecting women choose cannabis as an alternative treatment. Therefore, is the use of medical cannabis safe for expectant mothers? The answer to this question lies in this article.

There is a lot of doubt if you should use cannabis during pregnancy, with the main doubt being the potential side effects and risks, for the mother and the unborn child.

 

Pregnancy is a fantastic thing, but it usually comes with a handful of symptoms, including anxiety, insomnia, cramps, migraines, pain, stress, depression, morning sickness, etc. Nevertheless, these symptoms can affect how you live your daily life.

 

Surprisingly, several studies on cannabis have shown its ability to treat the symptoms that come with pregnancy, which has made more expecting women choose cannabis as an alternative treatment. Therefore, is the use of medical cannabis safe for expectant mothers? The answer to this question lies in this article.

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Is cannabis safe during pregnancy?

Unfortunately, there is no proven answer at the time of writing this article.

 

Although preliminary studies by the WHO suggest that cannabis may work effectively for certain conditions, conclusive studies on the efficacy and safety during pregnancy are yet to be conducted.  

 

Long-term clinical data on cannabis use amongst healthy pregnant ladies has not been conducted to make things more complicated. Some medical studies also show that most cannabinoids (like CBD and THC) can easily pass through the placenta and crosses to the growing fetus. This means that if cannabis is harmful to the fetus, it can cause far-reaching and long-lasting effects.

 

Any current studies linking cannabis and pregnancy is highly unrecommended. For example, according to the CDC, pregnant women should avoid using cannabis because THC causes several health issues in newborns, including still or low birth weight.

 

According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG), pregnancy should not involve ‘pot’ use, claiming that THC easily crosses the placenta leading to developmental problems.

 

The medical community also warns about cannabis and pregnancy, stating that its detrimental for the child.

 

Therefore, we can safely state that psychoactive cannabis such as THC may not be safe for pregnancy.

 

Despite the warnings, some people have taken CBD oil for pregnancy, and it showed positive results. Some expectant women stated that it helped with morning sickness, sleeplessness, food cravings/aversions, stress, anxiety, depression, and joint pain.

 

How cannabis may be beneficial for pregnant 

Pain reduction– Pregnancy comes with a lot of pain and discomfort which can be hard for the mother. The common types of pain include back pain, joint pain, headaches, migraines, and cramping. Medical marijuana has been found to decrease pain by interacting with pain receptors in the brain.

According to a study published in 2018, researchers stated that CBD helps with migraines, headaches, and pain. Another scientific study conducted between 1975 and 2018, concluded that CBD could effectively reduce pain and fibromyalgia.

Insomnia – Pregnancy may sometimes lead to a lack of sleep, especially in the first trimester. This increases exhaustion and dizziness. In the long run, this sleeplessness can lead to back pain, vomiting & nausea, frequent urination, headaches, abdominal pain, leg cramps, and more related symptoms. The use of medical marijuana can reduce stress and facilitate sleep.