Continued cannabis use during pregnancy linked to lower birth weight and higher childhood trauma scores
Among 256 pregnant patients in Baltimore, continued cannabis use through delivery was associated with 10% lower birthweight and correlated with higher adverse childhood experience scores in the mothers.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use at delivery was associated with 10% lower birthweight (2665g vs. 3014g, p < 0.05), lower maternal weight gain (7.9 vs. 13.3 kg), and fewer prenatal visits (7 vs. 8). Continued cannabis use was associated with higher ACE scores (16.2 vs. 13.8, p = 0.01). ACE scores alone were not associated with birth outcomes.
Key Numbers
256 patients. 87 (34%) positive for cannabis at initial visit. 39 (15.2%) positive at delivery. 45% of initial users continued to delivery. Cannabis at delivery: birthweight 2665g vs. 3014g. Maternal weight gain: 7.9 vs. 13.3 kg. Continued use associated with higher ACE scores.
How They Did This
Retrospective cohort of 256 pregnant patients in Baltimore. ACE checklist completed at enrollment. Urine toxicology at initiation of care and delivery. Multivariable logistic regression assessed relationships between ACE scores, cannabis use, and pregnancy outcomes.
Why This Research Matters
The connection between childhood trauma, continued cannabis use during pregnancy, and worse birth outcomes suggests a complex interplay where addressing maternal trauma history could help reduce prenatal cannabis use.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that adverse childhood experiences predict continued cannabis use during pregnancy suggests that trauma-informed care approaches may be more effective than simply telling pregnant patients to stop using cannabis.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Single urban center (Baltimore). Retrospective design. Urine toxicology is a crude measure of exposure. ACE score is a childhood measure, not current trauma. Small sample limits subgroup analyses. Cannot separate cannabis effects from socioeconomic confounders.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would trauma-informed interventions reduce cannabis use during pregnancy more effectively than standard counseling?
- ?Is the birthweight effect from cannabis itself or from associated factors like fewer prenatal visits?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 10% lower birthweight with cannabis use at delivery
- Evidence Grade:
- Single-center retrospective cohort with objective urine testing but limited by sample size and potential confounders.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022.
- Original Title:
- Effect of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and cannabis use on pregnancy outcomes.
- Published In:
- Archives of women's mental health, 25(6), 1097-1104 (2022)
- Authors:
- Klasner, Carson, Brown, Jessica, Gopalakrishnan, Mathangi, Metwally, Dina El, Besse, Margaret, Mark, Katrina
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03968
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does using cannabis throughout pregnancy affect the baby?
In this study, continued cannabis use through delivery was associated with 10% lower birthweight (2665g vs. 3014g), though cannabis use at the start of pregnancy that was later discontinued was not associated with worse outcomes.
Why do some pregnant women continue using cannabis?
Women with higher adverse childhood experience scores were more likely to continue using cannabis through delivery, suggesting a connection between maternal trauma history and prenatal substance use.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03968APA
Klasner, Carson; Brown, Jessica; Gopalakrishnan, Mathangi; Metwally, Dina El; Besse, Margaret; Mark, Katrina. (2022). Effect of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and cannabis use on pregnancy outcomes.. Archives of women's mental health, 25(6), 1097-1104. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01269-x
MLA
Klasner, Carson, et al. "Effect of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and cannabis use on pregnancy outcomes.." Archives of women's mental health, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-022-01269-x
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Effect of maternal adverse childhood experiences (ACE) and c..." RTHC-03968. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/klasner-2022-effect-of-maternal-adverse
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.