Pregnant people who use cannabis for nausea face stigma from providers while medication users get only support
Pregnant individuals who chose cannabis for nausea received stigmatizing feedback from providers and mixed reactions from family, while those choosing medication reported universally positive or neutral responses.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Four stakeholder groups influenced treatment decisions: medical providers, partners, family, and friends. The medication group reported only positive or neutral feedback. The cannabis group reported positive feedback from friends but negative, stigmatizing feedback from providers and mixed feedback from family and partners. Many cannabis users concealed their treatment choice after negative reactions.
Key Numbers
17 participants interviewed. 4 stakeholder groups identified. Cannabis group reported negative provider feedback described as stigmatizing. Multiple cannabis users concealed their treatment choice.
How They Did This
Semi-structured interviews with 17 pregnant individuals enrolled in a neuroimaging study of prenatal cannabis exposure, exploring interpersonal influences on decisions to treat pregnancy nausea with medication or cannabis.
Why This Research Matters
When pregnant people using cannabis for nausea feel stigmatized by providers, they may stop disclosing their use entirely, removing healthcare professionals from the conversation about safer alternatives or monitoring.
The Bigger Picture
Provider stigmatization of pregnant cannabis users creates a dangerous information vacuum. Without disclosure, providers cannot monitor fetal development, counsel on risks, or offer evidence-based alternatives for severe pregnancy nausea.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Very small sample (n=17) from a single neuroimaging study. Participants self-selected into cannabis or medication groups, introducing selection bias. Qualitative design provides depth but not prevalence estimates.
Questions This Raises
- ?Do pregnant patients who conceal cannabis use from providers have worse birth outcomes due to reduced monitoring?
- ?Would training providers in non-judgmental communication increase disclosure rates?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- many pregnant cannabis users hid their treatment choice from providers after receiving or fearing stigmatizing feedback
- Evidence Grade:
- Small qualitative study offers rich insight into patient experiences but cannot be generalized to broader populations.
- Study Age:
- 2024 publication.
- Original Title:
- Interpersonal Influences on the Choice to Treat Nausea during Pregnancy with Medication or Cannabis.
- Published In:
- American journal of perinatology, 41(S 01), e2941-e2951 (2024)
- Authors:
- Mercer, Amanda H, MacDuffie, Katherine E, Weiss, Elliott M, Johnson, Allegra, Dager, Stephen R, Kleinhans, Natalia
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05546
Evidence Hierarchy
Uses interviews or focus groups to understand experiences in depth.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Why do some pregnant people use cannabis for nausea?
Severe pregnancy nausea (hyperemesis gravidarum) can be debilitating, and some people find that standard medications are ineffective or have intolerable side effects. Cannabis use for pregnancy nausea predates modern medicine but carries known risks to fetal development.
Does provider stigma affect health outcomes?
Research across many health conditions shows that stigma reduces disclosure, limits treatment engagement, and worsens outcomes. When pregnant patients hide cannabis use, providers lose the ability to monitor for complications or offer safer alternatives.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05546APA
Mercer, Amanda H; MacDuffie, Katherine E; Weiss, Elliott M; Johnson, Allegra; Dager, Stephen R; Kleinhans, Natalia. (2024). Interpersonal Influences on the Choice to Treat Nausea during Pregnancy with Medication or Cannabis.. American journal of perinatology, 41(S 01), e2941-e2951. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2183-9013
MLA
Mercer, Amanda H, et al. "Interpersonal Influences on the Choice to Treat Nausea during Pregnancy with Medication or Cannabis.." American journal of perinatology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1055/a-2183-9013
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Interpersonal Influences on the Choice to Treat Nausea durin..." RTHC-05546. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mercer-2024-interpersonal-influences-on-the
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.