Mental health and GI relief were the top reasons pregnant women used cannabis, with over 84% citing multiple motivations

The most common motivations for prenatal cannabis use were mental health reasons (82.81%), gastrointestinal symptom relief (77.10%), pain relief (48.67%), fun or relaxation (40.18%), and chronic condition symptoms (26.31%). Most women (84.32%) reported multiple reasons, which was associated with daily or near-daily use.

Analysis of 2017-2021 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Marijuana Supplement data from 10 U.S. states. Weighted prevalence estimates of self-reported motivations for prenatal cannabis use were calculated and examined across sociodemographic characteristics and frequency of use.

Understanding why pregnant women use cannabis is essential for developing effective clinical conversations. The finding that most users cite multiple overlapping reasons, particularly mental health and nausea, suggests they may be self-treating common pregnancy symptoms.

This is one of the largest analyses of prenatal cannabis use motivations, drawn from a CDC surveillance system. The dominance of mental health and GI motivations suggests many women may be using cannabis as a substitute for medications they perceive as risky during pregnancy.

Self-reported data from a surveillance system. Only 10 U.S. states participated in the marijuana supplement. Data from 2017-2021 may not reflect current patterns. Women who did not report cannabis use are excluded, likely underestimating prevalence.