While there was once a time long ago when smoking was promoted for everyone, eventually tobacco cigarettes were linked with adverse health outcomes for babies born to smoking moms. As access to cannabis grows across the U.S., questions arise whether this type of smoking will also be a problem for the next generation of children born to moms who used cannabis during pregnancy. This study from JAMA Pediatrics suggests that we need to take this question very seriously if their findings are correct.
As a baby develops inside mom’s belly, a million different processes are occurring to take the fertilized egg from a single cell to a 7-pound baby with everything functioning correctly. During this time, the baby is depending on mom for everything, not only for what mom is providing in nutrients, but also for what mom is avoiding. We advise moms to limit or avoid mercury-containing fish. We advise moms to avoid certain medications or supplements. We advise mom to avoid alcohol and tobacco smoke.
If this study is correct, we should also advise expecting moms to limit or avoid smoking or using cannabis. While some use this natural product for nausea, stress, or insomnia during pregnancy, the children born to these moms may have some neurological symptoms later in life. While we may question the bias of those who might be overall opposed to cannabis legalization, we should at least do further research to see if they are correct in this case.
By surveying parents of children born to mothers who used cannabis during pregnancy and comparing to those who did not, several differences were found. Those children whose moms had used cannabis were reported as having more aggressive behavior, had impulse control issues, and difficulty with planning.
While some of those reading this may not be happy with these results, none of us can ignore the potential for chemicals in mom to impact baby health. Helping others restore healthier, more abundant lives requires both digging into the research and living with the truth we uncover during that digging. For now, we would advise avoiding cannabis during pregnancy until further notice.
Original Article:
Sarah A. Keim, Peter Fried, Keith Owen Yeates, Kelly M. Boone, Daphne M. Vrantsidis, Abigail Dean, Aaron W. Murnan, Joseph Rausch, Mark A. Klebanoff. Prenatal Cannabis Exposure and Executive Function and Aggressive Behavior at Age 5 Years. JAMA Pediatrics, 2024; DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.4352
Thanks to Science Daily:
Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Cannabis use during pregnancy can impact thinking and learning skills, increase aggression among children, study shows.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 October 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241028131553.htm>.
Sanctuary Functional Medicine, under the direction of Dr Eric Potter, IFMCP MD, provides functional medicine services to Nashville, Middle Tennessee and beyond. We frequently treat patients from Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Ohio, Indiana, and more... offering the hope of healthier more abundant lives to those with chronic illness.