As an ob-gyn, I ask all my patients who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy if they use marijuana. Many do. Most often they use marijuana to treat pain, nausea, poor appetite, or anxiety.
My patients often think that marijuana use is safe during pregnancy because it’s common and legal in many states. They hear from friends or dispensary staff that it’s safer than medications ob-gyns use to treat morning sickness. Some women say they’ve used it with no problems in their past pregnancies.
There are no studies, however, that show any level of marijuana use is safe during pregnancy. That’s why I advise against recreational and medical marijuana for my patients who are planning a pregnancy or who are pregnant or breastfeeding. So does the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (read Marijuana and Pregnancy).
Marijuana crosses the placenta. When pregnant women use marijuana, the plant’s active chemical is found in the umbilical cord blood after birth. This means the chemical (called THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol) spreads to the fetus during pregnancy and can affect the child after birth.
Using marijuana can create risks for the fetus and the newborn. Research suggests that women who use marijuana while pregnant sometimes have smaller babies. They also may have a slightly higher risk of stillbirth.
Marijuana use in pregnancy can affect children later on. Studies suggest that children whose mothers used marijuana while pregnant may be more likely to have learning and behavior problems. These issues may not show up until children reach school age.
Using marijuana can be risky for pregnant women too. Smoking marijuana can harm the lungs. It also lowers the amount of oxygen you get while you’re smoking, which can cause breathing problems.
Any form of marijuana use can alter judgment, cause dizziness, and raise the risk of falls and injuries. These can be big problems during pregnancy.
Finally, many people think marijuana isn’t ever addictive. That’s false. Some women develop marijuana use disorder and struggle with addiction.
“Natural” does not mean safe. I remind my patients that there are natural substances that can cause birth defects, such as too much vitamin A. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved marijuana for treatment of medical conditions (aside from the use of CBD oil, a marijuana extract that does not cause a high, to treat certain types of seizures). That means there’s no way to guarantee safety.
Medical marijuana isn’t safer than recreational marijuana. Marijuana prescribed by a doctor can cause all the same problems as marijuana you get without a prescription. When it comes to safety during pregnancy, there’s no difference.
Your ob-gyn can help you find other options for specific issues. Whether it’s nausea, pain, anxiety, or another problem, I can almost always suggest a treatment that’s safer than marijuana use. I never ask my patients to stop using it and just deal with the problem.
There’s often a list of things we can try before we ever get to medication. Meditation or counseling might help with anxiety, for example. For nausea, I usually start with diet and lifestyle changes and move on to medication only if needed.
If a patient is using marijuana for pain, I may suggest seeing a physical therapist who works with pregnant women. Treating the source of pain can often end the need for marijuana.
Not using marijuana can mean a healthier pregnancy and baby. Women do many things to ensure the health of their babies. They stop drinking alcohol, they avoid certain cleaning supplies and other chemicals, and they eat as healthfully as possible.
Avoiding marijuana is another way to help protect your baby’s health, as well as your own.
Talk with your ob-gyn if you have trouble stopping marijuana use. Sometimes women have trouble quitting because everyone in their social circle uses marijuana. I help them find ways to cope and say no.
If someone has marijuana use disorder, it can be very hard to stop without help. I usually refer patients with marijuana addiction to individual or group therapy, where they can get the help they need to stop.