Review of maternal and newborn adverse outcomes from cannabis use during pregnancy
Cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, NICU admission, fetal death, gestational hypertension, and placental abruption, with greater risk at higher use frequency.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Maternal cannabis use during pregnancy was associated with small to moderately increased risks of gestational hypertension, abnormal gestational weight gain, placental abruption, preterm birth (<36, <34, and <32 weeks), small for gestational age, low birth weight, NICU admission, and fetal death, even in women not using other substances.
Key Numbers
Over 5% of women use cannabis during pregnancy. Increased risks identified for preterm birth at <36, <34, and <32 weeks. Risks were greater with greater frequency of use. Adverse outcomes persisted even when excluding women using other substances.
How They Did This
Narrative review of recent cohort studies and meta-analyses examining specific maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes associated with gestational cannabis exposure.
Why This Research Matters
Over 5% of women use cannabis during pregnancy, often for nausea, anxiety, or pain, and many are unaware of pregnancy-related risks. Cannabis constituents cross the placenta and act on receptors in the developing fetal brain.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis legalization expands and public risk perception decreases, the gap between availability and understanding of pregnancy risks widens. Multiple professional bodies worldwide already discourage cannabis use during pregnancy based on this accumulating evidence.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Observational data cannot prove causation. Women who use cannabis may differ from non-users in ways that independently affect pregnancy outcomes. Self-report likely underestimates use. Some studies could not separate cannabis from tobacco effects.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is there a safe level of cannabis use during pregnancy?
- ?How do different consumption methods (smoking vs. edibles) compare in pregnancy risk?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Risk increases with use frequency
- Evidence Grade:
- Narrative review of multiple cohort studies and meta-analyses, providing consistent but observational evidence across outcomes.
- Study Age:
- 2024 review of recent pregnancy outcome studies
- Original Title:
- Maternal Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Maternal and Neonatal Adverse Outcomes.
- Published In:
- The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 85(4) (2024)
- Authors:
- Andrade, Chittaranjan(4)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05082
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
What pregnancy complications are linked to cannabis?
The review identified associations with gestational hypertension, placental abruption, preterm birth, low birth weight, small for gestational age, NICU admission, and fetal death.
Do these risks apply to women who only use cannabis and no other substances?
Yes. Several studies found adverse outcomes specifically in women who did not use other substances during pregnancy, though confounding from other factors cannot be fully eliminated.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05082APA
Andrade, Chittaranjan. (2024). Maternal Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Maternal and Neonatal Adverse Outcomes.. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 85(4). https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.24f15611
MLA
Andrade, Chittaranjan. "Maternal Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Maternal and Neonatal Adverse Outcomes.." The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 2024. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.24f15611
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Maternal Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Maternal and Neon..." RTHC-05082. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/andrade-2024-maternal-cannabis-use-during
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.