Nearly 4% of Swiss Pregnant Women Used CBD Products
In a Swiss hospital survey, 3.8% of pregnant women used cannabinoid products (all CBD-only), while only 25% of tobacco-using pregnant women received cessation counseling.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
7.6% of 262 pregnant women used tobacco, 0.8% used e-cigarettes, 0.4% used nicotine replacement therapy, and 3.8% used cannabinoid products (all CBD-only). Only 25% of tobacco users received smoking cessation counseling. No pregnant women reported THC-containing cannabis use.
Key Numbers
262 pregnant women surveyed. Tobacco: 7.6% (95% CI: 4.2-11.1%). ENDS: 0.8% (95% CI: 0.0-3.4%). NRT: 0.4% (95% CI: 0.0-3.8%). CBD: 3.8% (95% CI: 1.1-7.0%). Cessation counseling: only 25% of tobacco users (5/20).
How They Did This
Cross-sectional survey of 262 pregnant women attending regular clinical visits at Spitalzentrum Biel, Switzerland (February-May 2023). Frequency and proportions with 95% confidence intervals reported.
Why This Research Matters
The finding that nearly 4% of pregnant women use CBD products highlights a growing trend that healthcare providers need to address, especially given limited safety data on CBD during pregnancy.
The Bigger Picture
The exclusive use of CBD (not THC) among pregnant women in this Swiss sample may reflect CBD marketing as "safe" and legal, but safety data on CBD during pregnancy is insufficient to support this assumption.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Small single-site sample from one Swiss hospital. Self-reported use may underestimate actual prevalence. CBD product contents unverified. Wide confidence intervals due to small numbers. 3-month data collection window.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why are pregnant women choosing CBD products, and what do they believe about CBD safety?
- ?Is the low cessation counseling rate a systemic gap in prenatal care?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 3.8% of Swiss pregnant women used CBD products, with zero reporting THC use
- Evidence Grade:
- Small single-site survey with wide confidence intervals. Provides a snapshot of prevalence but cannot assess outcomes.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication with February-May 2023 data.
- Original Title:
- Tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery system, nicotine replacement therapy, and cannabinoid use during pregnancy: A descriptive cross-sectional survey.
- Published In:
- PloS one, 20(9), e0332961 (2025)
- Authors:
- Kandhasamy, Sreemanjari(2), Baggio, Stéphanie(4), Mathis, Jérôme, Mattmann, Yolanda, Maisonneuve, Emeline, Auer, Reto, Panchaud, Alice, Jenkinson, Stephen P, Schoeni, Anna
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06788
Evidence Hierarchy
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06788APA
Kandhasamy, Sreemanjari; Baggio, Stéphanie; Mathis, Jérôme; Mattmann, Yolanda; Maisonneuve, Emeline; Auer, Reto; Panchaud, Alice; Jenkinson, Stephen P; Schoeni, Anna. (2025). Tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery system, nicotine replacement therapy, and cannabinoid use during pregnancy: A descriptive cross-sectional survey.. PloS one, 20(9), e0332961. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0332961
MLA
Kandhasamy, Sreemanjari, et al. "Tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery system, nicotine replacement therapy, and cannabinoid use during pregnancy: A descriptive cross-sectional survey.." PloS one, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0332961
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Tobacco, electronic nicotine delivery system, nicotine repla..." RTHC-06788. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/kandhasamy-2025-tobacco-electronic-nicotine-delivery
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.