What We Know About Cannabis Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
This comprehensive review covers cannabis pharmacology, evidence on perinatal outcomes, and harm reduction strategies, noting that nearly half of active cannabis users continue use during pregnancy.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use in pregnancy has a prevalence of 3-30%, with nearly half of active users continuing despite medical guidance against it. The review summarizes current evidence on THC exposure impacts on pregnancy, infant, and childhood outcomes.
Key Numbers
Cannabis use prevalence during pregnancy: 3-30%. Nearly 50% of active cannabis users continue use during pregnancy. Major medical organizations (ACOG, AAP) discourage use.
How They Did This
Narrative review summarizing cannabis pharmacology and THC metabolism, current evidence on perinatal cannabis effects, and targeted counseling recommendations for harm reduction during pregnancy and lactation.
Why This Research Matters
With cannabis legalization expanding, more pregnant people are using cannabis. Healthcare providers need clear, evidence-based guidance to counsel patients about risks without being dismissive of their choices.
The Bigger Picture
The gap between medical recommendations and patient behavior around prenatal cannabis use demands practical harm reduction approaches rather than abstinence-only messaging that patients are clearly not following.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Evidence on perinatal cannabis effects has significant confounders (polysubstance use, socioeconomic factors). Self-report underestimates true use. Long-term childhood outcome data is limited.
Questions This Raises
- ?What are the safest harm reduction strategies for pregnant cannabis users who won't quit?
- ?How does THC potency in modern products change the risk calculus compared to older studies?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Narrative review synthesizing heterogeneous evidence — provides practical clinical guidance but acknowledges significant limitations in the underlying data.
- Study Age:
- Recent review reflecting current understanding and the practical challenges of counseling in an era of expanding cannabis legalization.
- Original Title:
- High Stakes: Exploring the Impact of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy and Lactation.
- Published In:
- NeoReviews, 26(4), e247-e263 (2025)
- Authors:
- Wymore, Erica M(4), Wagner, Katharine, Gold, Christine, Halmo, Laurie Seidel
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07981
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis safe during pregnancy?
Major medical organizations recommend against it due to potential risks to fetal development. However, evidence is complicated by confounders, and the review focuses on practical harm reduction for those who continue use.
Does THC pass through breast milk?
Yes — THC is lipophilic and accumulates in breast milk. The review discusses lactation considerations, though data on infant outcomes from breastmilk THC exposure remains limited.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07981APA
Wymore, Erica M; Wagner, Katharine; Gold, Christine; Halmo, Laurie Seidel. (2025). High Stakes: Exploring the Impact of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy and Lactation.. NeoReviews, 26(4), e247-e263. https://doi.org/10.1542/neo.26-4-006
MLA
Wymore, Erica M, et al. "High Stakes: Exploring the Impact of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy and Lactation.." NeoReviews, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1542/neo.26-4-006
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "High Stakes: Exploring the Impact of Cannabis Use in Pregnan..." RTHC-07981. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/wymore-2025-high-stakes-exploring-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.