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SALT LAKE CITY — Increased exposure to marijuana during pregnancy leads to more frequent and unhealthy pregnancy outcomes, Utah researchers say.
After studies on the health effects of cannabis use during pregnancy have yielded conflicting results, researchers at the University of Utah Health are conducting a larger study to more accurately measure cannabis exposure and its effects. We decided to conduct a study. More than 9,000 pregnant women across the United States participated in the study.
“There is so much information out there about cannabis use and pregnancy, in discussions, on social media channels, and on the internet,” study lead author Tori Metz said in a news release. “I think it’s rather difficult for patients to know what they should be worried about.”
Participants in the study provided three urine samples during pregnancy, and researchers measured levels of cannabis metabolic byproducts. Researchers say this is to collect a more accurate measure of cannabis exposure compared to other studies where participants only reported their cannabis use.
result, Published in the Journal of the American Medical Associationhigher exposure to cannabis during pregnancy has been shown to increase the incidence of low birth weight, medically diagnosed preterm birth, stillbirth, and pregnancy-related hypertension.
Of the 610 participants exposed to cannabis, approximately 25% had adverse pregnancy outcomes. By comparison, about 17% of the more than 8,500 participants who were not exposed to cannabis also experienced negative outcomes.
Cannabis use showed the strongest association with low birth weight, but all conditions with negative health effects were associated with poor placental function. Previous studies in primates have found that long-term cannabis exposure can interfere with blood supply to the placenta, and the U. Health study suggests the same effects occur in humans. It seems so.
“Cannabis use is not safe,” Robert Silver, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology, said in a statement. “It increases the risk of pregnancy complications. If possible, you should not use cannabis during pregnancy.”
Professor Metz said the problem the researchers faced was specifically distinguishing between the effects of cannabis use and those arising from other factors. She said there are different characteristics between those who use cannabis during pregnancy and those who don’t, such as rates of anxiety and depression, so other factors may also contribute to pregnancy risk. Stated.
To address this, the researchers intentionally used a large study population of participants from eight medical centers across the country.
“The fact that they were able to compare pregnancy outcomes for so many participants, 610 of whom had detectable levels of cannabis exposure, means that researchers were able to compare pre-existing health conditions, nicotine exposure, and socio-economic factors. This means that the effects of cannabis use can be statistically disentangled from many other factors, such as “status,” the news release states.
After removing the influence of other factors, the researchers found that cannabis exposure was associated with a 1.3-fold increase in risk. According to the researchers, the number of risks increases further at higher exposure levels.
The study found that those who continued to use cannabis past the first trimester were at higher risk of adverse outcomes.
Silver expressed concern that newer cannabis products have increased amounts of THC, and the health effects of higher concentrations are unknown. More research needs to be done, he said, and he urged anyone considering using cannabis during pregnancy to consult their doctor to find out possible alternatives.
“As long as humans are interested in using this product, we need to assess the health effects, good and bad, as accurately as possible and provide that information to people,” Silver said.
