Pregnancy is one of the best stages in a woman's life. It brings a feeling of excitement, love, and happiness. However, a pregnant woman can be at risk of several health issues. Everything that she takes in her body can potentially benefit or injure the fetus. With the various products like vitamins and supplements for pregnancy, you might be wondering if CBD products are safe for pregnant women.
Most medical experts do not recommend CBD for pregnant women. Read on to find out why.
Important Studies about CBD and its Effects on Pregnant Women
So, what are the possible risks of using CBD while pregnant? CBD is known to be effective for the following medical uses:
- Anxiety relief
- Neuroprotective effects
- Anti-seizure
- Anti-acne
- Pain relief
- Cancer treatment
There are other studies and online sources that share various medical benefits of the different CBD products.
CBD is acquired from the cannabis plant in the form of either powder or oil. An online source stated the following:
"The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that women who are pregnant or contemplating pregnancy should not use marijuana or any of its by-products, including medical marijuana. Studies show that marijuana use during pregnancy can lead to smaller babies with lower birth weight and other unwanted outcomes. For that reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), ACOG, and the U.S. surgeon general all warn pregnant women not to smoke or vape marijuana or use any by-products."
With today's innovative trends in the cannabis industry, more clinical data are needed to support claims that CBD can potentially help during pregnancy.
The Impact of CBD on a Fetus
A 2009 study found out that CBD exposure in the womb contributes to neurobehavioral issues. The abstract of the study stated the following:
"Cannabinoid receptors and their endogenous ligands have been detected from the earliest stages of embryonic development. The endocannabinoid system appears to play essential roles in these early stages for neuronal development and cell survival, although its detailed involvement in fundamental developmental processes such as proliferation, migration, and differentiation has not yet been completely understood. Therefore, it is not surprising that the manipulations of the endocannabinoid system by cannabinoid exposure during early developmental stages can result in long-lasting neurobehavioral consequences."
When women smoke or consume CBD, the chemicals may reach and affect the fetus. It can hinder the normal development of the fetal brain and may increase the risk of birth problems.
The Government of Canada published an article that may be helpful in using cannabis before and during pregnancy. In the article, it was advised that it is important to start prenatal care before pregnancy. If you're thinking of utilizing cannabis before pregnancy, you should be aware that it may affect the ability to get pregnant. It can also affect the quality and count of the sperm.
Furthermore, the same article stated that using cannabis is not recommended to alleviate morning sickness or other medical purposes for pregnancy. It is found out that the more CBD is consumed, the higher the risk of affecting the brain's development of the baby. It can also result in lower birth weight and decreased alertness of a growing child.
Although online articles share some claims of mothers who have used CBD in managing their morning sickness during pregnancy, not all medical experts agreed with it.
The research entitled "The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids: The Current State of Evidence and Recommendations for Research" highlighted that smoking cannabis while pregnant is related to the lower birth weight of the child.
A part of the research mentioned:
"Mixed findings of an association with cannabis use occurred in studies of precipitate labor and the manual removal of the placenta. No associations were found between in utero exposure to cannabis and the following health outcomes: maternal diabetes, rupture of membranes, premature onset of labor, use of prenatal care, duration of labor, placental abruption, secondary arrest of labor, elevated blood pressure, hyperemesis gravidarum, maternal bleeding after 20 weeks, antepartum or postpartum hemorrhage, maternal weight gain, maternal postnatal issues, duration of maternal hospital stay, or hormone concentrations".
"There is limited evidence of a statistical association between maternal cannabis smoking and pregnancy complications for the mother," the research concluded.
For further clarifications, you can check this article.
Another study conducted to find out the association between reported prenatal CBS use and preterm birth stated the following:
"The risk of preterm birth was greater among reported cannabis users for all categories of gestational age, although absolute risks of early preterm birth at less than 32 weeks were lower among reported users and nonusers due to fewer events. Reported cannabis exposure was also associated with statistically significant increases in secondary perinatal and neonatal outcomes, including SGA (third percentile and 10th percentile), placental abruption, admission to neonatal intensive care units, and 5-minute Apgar score less than 4 in the unmatched cohort. Rates of perinatal and neonatal outcomes were generally higher among reported cannabis users compared with nonusers in crude analyses."
The study was conducted among women in Ontario, Canada, within the age group of 15 and above.
Another interesting thing that may lead to the potential dangers of using CBD products during pregnancy is that they can be potentially contaminated with harmful substances. There can be pesticides, bacteria, heavy metals, and fungi that may contaminate the cannabis plants and may trigger a risk to the unborn child. The studies and investigations regarding this are continuously done to provide further information about CBD.
Final Thoughts
Today’s medical field has been continuously innovating and improving. Part of the many breakthroughs in health and wellness is the use of CBD. CBD is known to provide relief and benefits to several health problems. However, not all experts agreed and supported the use of CBD products during pregnancy. Several studies are also conducted to find out cannabis and CBD products can impact both the fetus and mother's health condition. It is always the most helpful to follow the advice from a medical expert to ensure that every medication or supplements to be taken are safe and effective.
