Marijuana use at different stages of pregnancy can affect newborn growth

Marijuana use has the greatest impact on fetal development during pregnancy compared to use in the first trimester, affecting newborn weight and head circumference. However, body weight and circumference appear to be most affected when the drug is used during different periods of pregnancy.

Data from a study conducted by the Central Michigan University School of Medicine show that even if marijuana exposure occurs only in the first trimester, neonatal weight may be somewhat reduced, but the reduction in head circumference continues until the second trimester. Turns out it was caused by exposure.

The authors of a study published in May in Frontiers in Pediatrics suggested that women should be encouraged to avoid using marijuana at any point during pregnancy. However, recreational use has increased in the last decade, as 21 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational marijuana use.

Legalization has raised concerns, especially after a survey revealed that many pharmacies recommend pregnant women to use marijuana to relieve symptoms of pregnancy, especially morning sickness.

Although previous studies have observed marijuana use and its effects on pregnancy and newborns, many questions remain unclear.

In this study, researchers wanted to determine whether the timing of marijuana use during pregnancy adversely affected fetal development and whether these effects were global or specific to particular developmental parameters. I wanted to investigate whether

To conduct this study, data were collected from the electronic medical records of a randomly selected control group (n=171) of marijuana users (N=109) and biochemically-validated non-users. I was. Because of the known high drug refusal rates during pregnancy, the researchers required nonusers to self-report and biochemically confirm drug abstinence.

Other drug use, including alcohol and tobacco use, were excluded as possible sources of differences between groups.

Neonatal weight after marijuana use was found to be significantly reduced (p < .05) during early pregnancy (-154 g) and during pregnancy (-185 g) compared with non-users.

There was also a significant reduction in head circumference for marijuana use only in the first and second trimesters (-0.83 cm) and throughout pregnancy (-0.79 cm) compared with nonusers. was seen

Newborn height was not predicted by marijuana use.

The data show that most fetal weight gain and growth occurs in the third trimester, with estimated fetal weight rates accelerating throughout gestation and peaking at 35 weeks of gestation. The researchers suggest that this may be a potential reason for the larger defect size associated with late pregnancy compared to early pregnancy exposure.

The authors point out that low birth weight and decreased head circumference can lead to neurological and psychological problems, childhood health complications, and the development of various noncommunicable diseases in adulthood. .

Multiple studies suggest that babies born with low birth weight are at increased risk of cognitive delays and neurodevelopmental disorders (including ADHD). In addition, low birth weight is also associated with obesity in adulthood and beyond, which may prematurely catch up with growth.

It has been noted that the sooner you stop using marijuana during pregnancy, the more likely your fetus will develop normally and ultimately your child will be healthier and thrive.

This study has several strengths, one of which is that it extends previous studies by including the timing of marijuana use during pregnancy.

Limitations include a limited sample size, the possibility of missing drug exposure after patient refusal, and a limited window for urine drug screening. Nor was there any way not to compare the total amount of material consumed.