U.S. is concerned about unfortunate consequences of cannabis use by pregnant women

A new study cautioning pregnant women who think smoking marijuana is okay links prenatal exposure to cannabis to social, emotional and behavioral problems in offspring that may persist into early adolescence (ages 11-12).

In a letter published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, the researchers said affected children may also be at greater risk for mental health and problematic substance use when they enter a peak period of vulnerability in late adolescence.

For the study, researchers from Washington University in St. Louis analyzed data from the ongoing Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, which included 12,000 adolescents, the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States.

The researchers also cited data from a national survey showing that cannabis use among pregnant women in the U.S. nearly doubled from 3 percent in 2002 to 5.4 percent in 2019.

The study included 391 women who used cannabis only before finding out they were pregnant, 208 women who used the drug before and after pregnancy, and just over 10,000 women who were not exposed to cannabis. Modeling was used to assess associations with childhood psychopathology.

The researchers acknowledged limitations of the study, including the small number of offspring exposed to cannabis in utero, the potential underreporting of cannabis use during pregnancy, and inaccurate data on the timing, frequency and potency of drug use.

Nevertheless, they pointed to a 2020 study using raw research data that found a link between prenatal exposure to marijuana and behavioral problems in children as young as 9 or 10 years old.

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