Ep. 37 - Cannabis During Pregnancy: Just Say No! (Part 2)

In our last episode of Cannabis Nurse Truths, we highlighted the adverse physical concerns associated with using cannabis during pregnancy that can result in outcomes like low birth weight and long-term metabolic disorders. In this episode, we review the developmental and psychological concerns associated with cannabis during pregnancy.

Research suggests that prenatal cannabis exposure in any trimester can cause specific deficits as well as behavioral excesses in the offspring, even a decade after exposure. In other words, it's never a good time to use cannabis during pregnancy

 

EPISODE RESOURCES

Allen, S., Natale, B. V., Ejeckam, A. O., Lee, K., Hardy, D. B., & Natale, D. R. C. (2024). Cannabidiol exposure during rat pregnancy leads to labyrinth-specific vascular defects in the placenta and reduced fetal growth. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 9(3), 766–780. https://doi.org/10.1089/can.2023.0166 

Carvalho, R.K., Santos, M.L., Souza, M.R., Rocha, T.L., Guimarães, F.S., Anselmo‐Franci, J.A., & Mazaro‐Costa, R. (2018). Chronic exposure to cannabidiol induces reproductive toxicity in male Swiss mice. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 38(9), 1215-1223. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29766538/ 

Cioffredi, L.A., Anderson, H., Loso, H., East, J., Nguyen, P., Garavan, H., & Potter, A. (2022). Prenatal cannabis exposure predicts attention problems, without changes on fMRI in adolescents. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 91, 107089. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35314358/ 

Evanski, J.M., Zundel, C.G., Baglot, S.L., Desai, S., Gowatch, L.C., Ely, S.L., ... & Marusak, H.A. (2024). The first “hit” to the endocannabinoid system? Associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and frontolimbic white matter pathways in children. Biological Psychiatry Global Open Science, 4(1), 11-18. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2024-46428-005 

Lim, J., Squire, E., & Jung, K.-M. (2023). Phytocannabinoids, the endocannabinoid system and male reproduction. World Journal of Men’s Health, 41(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.220132

Lotfi, N., Khazaei, M., Shariatzadeh, S.M.A., Soleimani Mehranjani, M., & Ghanbari, A. (2013). The effect of cannabis sativa hydroalcoholic extract on sperm parameters and testis histology in rats. International Journal of Morphology, 31(1), 82–86. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0717-95022013000100012

Machado, A.S., Bragança, M., & Vieira-Coelho, M. (2024). Epigenetic effects of cannabis: A systematic scoping review of behavioral and emotional symptoms associated with cannabis use and exocannabinoid exposure. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 111401. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0376871624003247 

Nashed, M.G., Hardy, D.B., & Laviolette, S.R. (2021). Prenatal cannabinoid exposure: Emerging evidence of physiological and neuropsychiatric abnormalities. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.624275

Sorkhou, M., Singla, D.R., Castle, D.J., & George, T. P. (2024). Birth, cognitive and behavioral effects of intrauterine cannabis exposure in infants and children: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Addiction, 119(3), 411–437. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16370

Tadesse, A.W., Dachew, B.A., Ayano, G., Betts, K., & Alati, R. (2024). Prenatal cannabis use and the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder in offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 171, 142-151. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38281464/ 

Tadesse, A.W., Ayano, G., Dachew, B.A., Tusa, B.S., Damtie, Y., Betts, K., & Alati, R. (2024). The association between prenatal cannabis use and congenital birth defects in offspring: A cumulative meta-analysis. Neurotoxicology and Teratology, 102, 107340. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38460861/ 

Torres, J., Miller, C., Apostol, M., Gross, J., & Maxwell, J.R. (2024). The impact of recreational cannabinoid legalization on utilization in a pregnant population. Frontiers in Public Health, 12, 1278834. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10912290/