Family Doctors Think Marijuana Is Unsafe in Pregnancy But Many Don't Screen for It
While 92% of family physicians providing obstetric care perceived marijuana as unsafe during pregnancy, only 63% consistently screened for it and only 18% screened for all substances consistently.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
This survey of 417 US family physicians providing labor and delivery care revealed a gap between awareness and action regarding substance use during pregnancy.
Physicians estimated that roughly 6-25% of their pregnant patients used cigarettes (54% of doctors), marijuana (49%), and electronic cigarettes (24%). Most perceived all of these as unsafe during pregnancy: 99% for cigarettes, 92% for marijuana, 91% for electronic cigarettes.
Despite this awareness, screening was inconsistent. While 85% consistently screened for cigarettes, only 63% consistently screened for marijuana, 48% for secondhand smoke exposure, 33% for electronic cigarettes, and 28% for synthetic marijuana. Only 18% screened consistently for all substances.
A notable knowledge gap existed for synthetic marijuana (58% selected "do not know" for prevalence) and electronic cigarettes (27% "do not know"), suggesting physicians may not be aware of newer substance trends among pregnant women.
Key Numbers
417 obstetric providers. 92% perceived marijuana as unsafe in pregnancy. 63% consistently screened for marijuana use. 32% used laboratory testing for marijuana. 18% screened for all substances consistently.
How They Did This
Web-based cross-sectional survey emailed to 3,750 US physicians in academic family medicine organizations. 1,248 responded (33.3%). Analysis focused on 417 who provided labor and delivery obstetric care. Questions assessed perceived prevalence, safety beliefs, and screening practices for multiple substances during pregnancy.
Why This Research Matters
If nearly half of physicians believe a significant portion of pregnant patients use marijuana but only 63% screen for it, many exposed pregnancies go unidentified. This screening gap means missed opportunities for intervention and counseling.
The Bigger Picture
As cannabis legalization expands, prenatal marijuana use is likely increasing. The gap between physician awareness of the problem and systematic screening highlights a systems-level failure that individual provider education alone may not solve.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Self-reported survey from academic family medicine settings may not represent community practices. 33.3% response rate may introduce response bias. Physician perceptions of prevalence may not reflect actual patient use rates.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would universal prenatal substance screening improve detection rates?
- ?Should marijuana screening be added to standard prenatal laboratory panels?
- ?How can physician education address the knowledge gaps about synthetic marijuana and e-cigarettes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 92% of doctors viewed marijuana as unsafe in pregnancy but only 63% consistently screened for it
- Evidence Grade:
- Cross-sectional survey of academic family physicians. Moderate because it provides systematic data on a clinically important gap.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2017.
- Original Title:
- Family Physicians' Perceived Prevalence, Safety, and Screening for Cigarettes, Marijuana, and Electronic-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use during Pregnancy.
- Published In:
- Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM, 30(6), 743-757 (2017)
- Authors:
- Northrup, Thomas F, Klawans, Michelle R, Villarreal, Yolanda R, Abramovici, Adi, Suter, Melissa A, Mastrobattista, Joan M, Moreno, Carlos A, Aagaard, Kjersti M, Stotts, Angela L
- Database ID:
- RTHC-01468
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do doctors screen for marijuana during pregnancy?
Only 63% of family physicians providing obstetric care in this survey consistently screened for marijuana use. Even fewer (32%) used laboratory testing. Only 18% screened for all substances consistently.
Do doctors think marijuana is unsafe during pregnancy?
Yes, 92% perceived marijuana use as unsafe during pregnancy. The gap between this near-universal safety concern and the inconsistent screening practices highlights a systemic problem in prenatal care.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-01468APA
Northrup, Thomas F; Klawans, Michelle R; Villarreal, Yolanda R; Abramovici, Adi; Suter, Melissa A; Mastrobattista, Joan M; Moreno, Carlos A; Aagaard, Kjersti M; Stotts, Angela L. (2017). Family Physicians' Perceived Prevalence, Safety, and Screening for Cigarettes, Marijuana, and Electronic-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use during Pregnancy.. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM, 30(6), 743-757. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2017.06.170183
MLA
Northrup, Thomas F, et al. "Family Physicians' Perceived Prevalence, Safety, and Screening for Cigarettes, Marijuana, and Electronic-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) Use during Pregnancy.." Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM, 2017. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2017.06.170183
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Family Physicians' Perceived Prevalence, Safety, and Screeni..." RTHC-01468. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/northrup-2017-family-physicians-perceived-prevalence
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.