Cannabis Use Disorder Admissions Rising Among Pregnant Women

Hospital admissions for cannabis use disorder among pregnant women have increased, reflecting broader trends in prenatal cannabis use.

Mejia, Maria C et al.·Journal of perinatal medicine·2025·Moderate EvidenceRetrospective Cohort
RTHC-07113Retrospective CohortModerate Evidence2025RETHINKTHC RESEARCH DATABASErethinkthc.com/research

Quick Facts

Study Type
Retrospective Cohort
Evidence
Moderate Evidence
Sample
Not reported

What This Study Found

A retrospective analysis found rising rates of hospital admissions with cannabis use disorder diagnoses among pregnant women, suggesting growing prenatal cannabis use or improved diagnostic detection.

Key Numbers

Trend data from hospital admission records; specific rates and time periods in full text.

How They Did This

Retrospective cohort study using hospital admission records to track trends in cannabis use disorder diagnoses among pregnant women over time.

Why This Research Matters

Cannabis use during pregnancy remains controversial. Rising hospital admissions signal a growing clinical challenge that requires clearer guidelines and better prenatal screening approaches.

The Bigger Picture

As cannabis becomes more accessible and social stigma decreases, prenatal use appears to be rising. The potential effects on fetal development remain an active area of research with conflicting findings.

What This Study Doesn't Tell Us

Administrative data relies on diagnostic coding, which may undercount or overcount cases. Cannot determine whether increases reflect true prevalence changes or better detection. Does not capture outcomes for mothers or infants.

Questions This Raises

  • ?Are rising admissions due to more prenatal cannabis use or better screening?
  • ?What outcomes are associated with cannabis use disorder specifically during pregnancy?

Trust & Context

Key Stat:
Rising hospital admissions for cannabis use disorder during pregnancy
Evidence Grade:
Large administrative dataset captures trends but cannot determine causation or distinguish true prevalence from improved detection.
Study Age:
2025 study analyzing trends in pregnancy-related cannabis use disorder admissions.
Original Title:
Trends and variations in admissions for cannabis use disorder among pregnant women in United States.
Published In:
Journal of perinatal medicine, 53(3), 402-406 (2025)
Database ID:
RTHC-07113

Evidence Hierarchy

Meta-Analysis / Systematic Review
Randomized Controlled Trial
Cohort / Case-ControlFollows or compares groups over time
This study
Cross-Sectional / Observational
Case Report / Animal Study

Looks back at existing records to find patterns.

What do these levels mean? →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is cannabis use during pregnancy increasing?

This study found rising hospital admissions for cannabis use disorder among pregnant women, which may reflect increased use, reduced stigma around reporting, or improved screening practices.

Is cannabis use disorder during pregnancy harmful?

The study tracked admission trends rather than outcomes, but cannabis use disorder during pregnancy is a clinical concern due to potential effects on fetal development that remain under active investigation.

Read More on RethinkTHC

Cite This Study

RTHC-07113·https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07113

APA

Mejia, Maria C; Sacca, Lea; Ferris, Allison H; Hennekens, Charles H; Kitsantas, Panagiota. (2025). Trends and variations in admissions for cannabis use disorder among pregnant women in United States.. Journal of perinatal medicine, 53(3), 402-406. https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2024-0487

MLA

Mejia, Maria C, et al. "Trends and variations in admissions for cannabis use disorder among pregnant women in United States.." Journal of perinatal medicine, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1515/jpm-2024-0487

RethinkTHC

RethinkTHC Research Database. "Trends and variations in admissions for cannabis use disorde..." RTHC-07113. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mejia-2025-trends-and-variations-in

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.