Children Exposed to Cannabis in the Womb Had More Body Fat and Higher Blood Sugar by Age 5 | Research

The takeaway

Children whose mothers had detectable cannabinoids during pregnancy had significantly higher fat mass, adiposity, and fasting glucose at around age 5 compared to unexposed children.

Pregnant individuals, obstetricians, pediatric metabolic researchers

+1.0 kg fat mass and +5.6 mg/dL glucose in exposed children

What the researchers found

Approximately 15% of mothers had detectable cannabinoids in urine at ~27 weeks gestation. Exposed offspring had higher fat mass (+1.0 kg), fat-free mass (+1.2 kg), adiposity (+2.6%), and fasting glucose (+5.6 mg/dL) at mean age 4.7 years compared to unexposed children. No associations were found with fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, BMI, or BMI z-scores.

Why it matters

This is among the first studies to link prenatal cannabis exposure to childhood metabolic outcomes, suggesting effects on body composition and glucose regulation that could have long-term health implications.

The numbers in context

103 mother-child pairs; 15% exposed; +1.0 kg fat mass; +1.2 kg fat-free mass; +2.6% adiposity; +5.6 mg/dL fasting glucose; mean follow-up age 4.7 years

How the study worked

Prospective cohort of 103 mother-child pairs from the Healthy Start study (Colorado). Twelve cannabinoids/metabolites measured in maternal urine at ~27 weeks gestation. Child adiposity measured via air displacement plethysmography and metabolic markers at mean age 4.7 years.

What this study cannot tell us

Small sample size (103 pairs). Single urine measurement may not capture full exposure. Cannot fully control for all confounders associated with cannabis use during pregnancy.

How to read the evidence

Prospective cohort with objective biomarker exposure assessment, but small sample limits generalizability.

When this study was published

Published in 2022

The bigger picture

With rising cannabis use during pregnancy, understanding metabolic effects on offspring is critical. If prenatal exposure programs children for higher adiposity and glucose, it could contribute to later obesity and diabetes risk.

Questions still open

Do these metabolic differences persist or increase into later childhood? Would heavier prenatal cannabis exposure produce larger metabolic effects?

Common questions

Does prenatal cannabis exposure affect children's metabolism?

This study found children exposed to cannabis in the womb had higher fat mass (+1.0 kg), more body fat (+2.6%), and higher fasting blood sugar (+5.6 mg/dL) by about age 5.

How was cannabis exposure measured?

Twelve cannabinoids and metabolites (including THC and CBD) were measured in maternal urine at about 27 weeks of pregnancy, providing objective evidence of exposure.

Read the original research

Fetal Exposure to Cannabis and Childhood Metabolic Outcomes: The Healthy Start Study.

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 107(7), e2862-e2869

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Moore, Brianna F; Sauder, Katherine A; Shapiro, Allison L B; Crume, Tessa; Kinney, Gregory L; Dabelea, Dana. (2022). Fetal Exposure to Cannabis and Childhood Metabolic Outcomes: The Healthy Start Study.. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 107(7), e2862-e2869. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgac101