While some pregnant women report using it for stress and anxiety, many doctors discourage marijuana use during pregnancy. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have guidance on its potential negative effects on both mothers and children. Now, new research suggests that cannabis exposure before birth can have negative outcomes on the child.
The study, which was published in Jama Pediatrics, was conducted between 2016 and 2020. The researchers recruited 355 pregnant people — ranging from 16 to 50 — who were going to deliver their child at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. If the participant had agreed to future contact and their child(ren) was presumed to be alive, they were assessed again when the child was five years old.
