Source: Thailand Medical News Jan 16, 2020 4 years, 3 months, 2 days, 9 hours, 33 minutes ago
Medical researchers in Minnesota and Iowa have found greater risks of social and emotional problems in infants whose mothers consumed
cannabis during
pregnancy.
Utilizing results of a developmental screening tool for 1-year-olds, the researchers found that 9.1% of babies from
cannabis users were at risk, compared with 3.6% of babies whose mothers didn't consume the drug while
pregnant.
The medical researchers said the size of that gap was surprising, along with screening results showing that 8% of mothers tested positive during
pregnancy for the presence of THC, the psychoactive component in
cannabis, said Dr. Elyse Kharbanda, lead researcher of the study from the HealthPartners Institute in Bloomington, Minn. Researchers from the universities of Minnesota and Iowa co-authored the study, which was published in the
Journal of Perinatology.
Dr Kharbanda told
Thailand Medical News via a phone interview, "We think it clearly is concerning. The research was based on toxicology urine tests of 3,435
pregnant women during prenatal checkups, and the performance of their children around 12 months of age on a test known as ASQ: SE. The screening assesses whether children show age-appropriate levels of communication, compliance and self-regulation.”
However, the results don't prove cause and effect. It's possible that women who consume
cannabis during
pregnancy have other traits that cause their children to perform poorly on developmental screenings. Women in the study who used
cannabis during
pregnancy tended to be younger and more likely to receive health insurance through Medicaid, which is reserved for people who are poor or disabled.
Upon the researchers adjusting the screening results for these other demographic factors, the gap in the children's performance fell below the threshold for statistical significance. That means it's possible that the gap was a statistical anomaly. However, Kharbanda said the gap was wide enough to raise concerns, especially considering reports that some mothers turn to
cannabis during
pregnancy to soothe nausea.
Although the study is the first to compare
cannabis use during
pregnancy with performance on infant screening, Kharbanda said the results are consistent with other studies that have found more problems in older children of mothers who used the drug.
The research study also found that women who used
cannabis during
pregnancy were more likely to have babies born below typical birth weight, which can lead to breathing problems and other health concerns.
Though recreational and medical
cannabis use is increasing, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology discourage its
use during
pregnancy.
Reference : Kharbanda, E.O., Vazquez-Benitez, G., Kunin-Batson, A. et al. Birth and early developmental screening outcomes associated with cannabis exposure during pregnancy. J Perinatol (2020) doi:10.1038/s41372-019-0576-6
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0576-6
