What does early evidence say about medical cannabis for children and pregnant women?
A review found emerging but very limited evidence that cannabis may help behavioral symptoms of autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in children, and severe nausea in pregnancy.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
The review identified early-stage evidence for medical cannabis in three populations typically excluded from research: children with autism spectrum disorder (reduced behavioral symptoms), children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (improved behavioral outcomes), and pregnant women with hyperemesis gravidarum (reduced severe nausea).
Key Numbers
Three conditions reviewed: ASD in children, FASD in children, and hyperemesis gravidarum in pregnancy.
How They Did This
Narrative review of available clinical evidence for medical cannabis use in children and pregnant women, covering autism spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and hyperemesis gravidarum.
Why This Research Matters
Children and pregnant women are typically excluded from cannabis research due to ethical concerns. This review highlights emerging clinical use in these populations and the urgent need for rigorous safety data.
The Bigger Picture
As medical cannabis use expands, clinicians are increasingly encountering these vulnerable populations. The gap between clinical practice and research evidence is especially wide here, raising both opportunity and risk.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Narrative review; very limited evidence base for all three conditions; ethical constraints make controlled trials extremely difficult; long-term safety data for prenatal and pediatric cannabis exposure are lacking.
Questions This Raises
- ?Can controlled trials be ethically designed for these populations?
- ?What are the long-term developmental effects of prenatal cannabis exposure?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Three conditions reviewed in typically excluded populations
- Evidence Grade:
- Preliminary: narrative review with very limited evidence base; no controlled trials available for most applications.
- Study Age:
- Published 2020.
- Original Title:
- Medicinal Use of Cannabis in Children and Pregnant Women.
- Published In:
- Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 11(1), 1-5 (2020)
- Authors:
- Koren, Gideon(2), Cohen, Rana(2)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02655
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is medical cannabis proven safe for children or during pregnancy?
No. This review highlights emerging clinical use, but safety data remain extremely limited. The evidence is too early-stage to draw firm conclusions about either safety or efficacy.
Which conditions showed the most promise?
Behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorder had the most clinical reports, but all three conditions (ASD, FASD, hyperemesis gravidarum) had only preliminary evidence.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02655APA
Koren, Gideon; Cohen, Rana. (2020). Medicinal Use of Cannabis in Children and Pregnant Women.. Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 11(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.5041/RMMJ.10382
MLA
Koren, Gideon, et al. "Medicinal Use of Cannabis in Children and Pregnant Women.." Rambam Maimonides medical journal, 2020. https://doi.org/10.5041/RMMJ.10382
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Medicinal Use of Cannabis in Children and Pregnant Women." RTHC-02655. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/koren-2020-medicinal-use-of-cannabis
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.