Cannabis Use in Pregnancy & Neonatal Outcomes

Shockingly, cannabis use in pregnancy is on the rise. Perhaps there is a misperception that if cannabis is good for some health issues, then it must be good for us in general. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We should also remember that medicinal cannabis is completely different to recreational cannabis. This retrospective cohort study of 661,617 women set out to determine what effect cannabis use during pregnancy had on the health of the mother and newborn. 1.4% of participants (9,427 women) reported using cannabis during their pregnancy. Reported cannabis exposure was significantly associated with preterm birth, small for gestational age, placental abruption, transfer to neonatal intensive care and 5-minute Apgar score of less than 4 (out of 10). This study is a good reminder that cannabis is NOT a safe treatment for morning sickness relief Ref: JAMA 2019 Jul 9;322(2):145-152