Interviews with 24 pregnant and parenting medical cannabis patients found they used cannabis for symptoms and mental health while navigating significant stigma.
Obstetricians, medical cannabis prescribers, and pregnant patients.
What the researchers found
Patients used cannabis for pregnancy nausea and qualifying conditions. While parenting: stress relief, mental health management, stigma navigation. Some chose to stop during pregnancy.
Why it matters
Medical cannabis patients' qualifying conditions persist during pregnancy. This captures the tension between treatment need and safety concerns.
The numbers in context
24 interviews. Certified PA patients. Themes: symptom management, cessation decisions, stigma.
How the study worked
Thematic content analysis of 24 semi-structured interviews from the Drexel University PA Registry Study.
What this study cannot tell us
Small qualitative sample. Single state. No outcome data.
How to read the evidence
Qualitative study with unique perspectives but cannot assess safety.
When this study was published
2025 qualitative study.
The bigger picture
The gap between certification and pregnancy guidance leaves patients in limbo. Evidence-based frameworks are needed.
Questions still open
- Should certifications include pregnancy guidance?
- Do qualifying conditions pose more risk than cannabis during pregnancy?
Common questions
Do medical cannabis patients use during pregnancy?
What challenges do parents face?
Read the original research
'It Helped to Calm Me': Perspectives on Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Parenting from Certified Patients in Pennsylvania.
Substance use & misuse, 60(13), 1976-1982
Citation
Valdez, Elizabeth S; Cordingley, Olivia; Pagán, Samantha; Finkelstein, Maddy; Ataiants, Janna; Lankenau, Stephen. (2025). 'It Helped to Calm Me': Perspectives on Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Parenting from Certified Patients in Pennsylvania.. Substance use & misuse, 60(13), 1976-1982. https://doi.org/10.1080/10826084.2025.2528058
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