CBD Oil

Use of CBD Oil During Pregnancy

We’ve addressed reasons why couples trying to conceive – or who are pregnant – should steer clear of marijuana. From compromising male fertility factors to crossing the placenta’s blood barrier, it’s simply too much of a risk. With the use of these products widely available in California, we are seeing a rise of CBD use.

Now, as medical and recreational marijuana become legal in more states, marijuana use by pregnant women is on the rise. The American Medical Association reports a sharp rise in the number of pregnant women in America who use marijuana while pregnant between 2002 and 2017 (from 3.4% to 7%), many of whom are using it during the first trimester, when a baby’s brain and nervous system are beginning to develop.

As physicians and fertility experts, we’re very concerned. Research around the safety of CBD oil use and marijuana consumption for pregnant women is not good. Our advice is to steer clear and find alternative ways to replicate whatever reprieves marijuana provides for you.

Surgeon General Warns Against Marijuana & CBD Use for Pregnant Women Due to Multiple Health Risks

Perhaps the most alarming statistics are the ones recently published in JAMA by Canadian researchers, and backed by the Surgeon General, who compared pregnancy and birth statistics between women who used marijuana during their pregnancy and women who did not. The preterm (premature) birth rates were twice as high (12.1% vs. 6.0%) in women who consumed marijuana.

This is a big deal for any mother, particularly mothers who are struggling with infertility rates and/or participating in fertility treatments. Premature births put your baby at a higher risk for:

  • Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
  • Low birth weight
  • Difficulty latching on/breastfeeding
  • Apnea (disruption of breathing rhythm for 20 seconds or more)
  • Jaundice
  • Anemia (low iron levels)
  • Asthma
  • Learning disabilities and social/emotional issues
  • Intestinal issues and diseases
  • Vision problems and hearing loss

And that list goes on. Our goal is always to achieve a healthy, full-term pregnancy for both mother and baby. That means advising that you do everything you can – including avoiding CDB oil and marijuana use – to prevent a preterm birth.

One of the things worth noting is that the quality and potency of the marijuana cultivated today is much higher than crops grown twenty or more decades ago. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, “…described modern marijuana as far more potent than marijuana produced and sold 20 years ago, with levels of T.H.C. increasing to a range of 12 percent to 25 percent from 4 percent back then.”

Marijuana Compromises Child Development and Behavioral Success

We mentioned that marijuana crosses the placenta’s blood barrier. This is the same reason you aren’t supposed to drink while pregnant – your blood alcohol level is your baby’s blood alcohol level. With marijuana and CBD oil, your mind-altered state impacts your baby’s mental state. The same is true when you are breastfeeding, since THC passed from your bloodstream, into your breastmilk, and right into your baby’s bloodstream.

The part of the brain exposed to the effects of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol – the ingredient in marijuana that makes you high) are in charge of executive and emotional functioning. So, it makes sense that studies continue to correlate prenatal marijuana use with a child’s behavioral and developmental problems.

Why Do You Want to Use CBD Oil or Marijuana?

The most important question is, “why do you want to use CBD oil or marijuana during pregnancy?”  It’s imperative that you work with an OB/GYN or fertility specialist who you feel comfortable with, and who you trust, so you can discuss this topic with him/her. That way, we can help you find alternative solutions:

  • You’re depressed. Many women, such as the woman featured in this USA Today feature cite depression as the reason why they use marijuana. If this is the case, we’ll work with you to find a therapist or counselor who can help, and offer other avenues of support as well.
  • You have terrible morning sickness. Most morning sickness is survived via a helpful tips and biding your time until you head into the second-trimester. Women with extreme morning sickness have reported that marijuana helps to quell nausea and allow them to eat, and they fear the birth defect repercussions associated with prescription morning sickness medications. This is understandable and we’ll help you to find a safe solution for you and your baby.
  • You’re battling anxiety. Marijuana is known to ease anxiety, but you don’t want to do that at the expense of your baby’s wellbeing. Working with a therapist, counsellor, and/or support group can help. As can practicing self-care on a continuous basis, which helps to manage stress and support your fertility

As a fertility center who cares very much about the short- and long-term health of our patients and their babies, the staff at NCFMC urges you to think twice and avoid using CBD oil, cannabis products and/or smoking marijuana while you’re pregnant or nursing.

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