Cannabis-Usage During Pregnancy Linked to Aggression, Academic Failures in Children: Study

Unborn babies exposed to cannabis from mothers could end up experiencing increased aggression at 5 years of age along with other adverse developmental impacts, according to a new study.
Out of the 250 children who participated, 80 of them were exposed to cannabis during the prenatal stage. “Use of tobacco, other drugs, and alcohol during pregnancy was common (22 percent to 39% each). Most families were living in poverty,” the study said.
Among exposed children, scores for attention and inhibitory control were lower than their peers.
“Exposed children also exhibited poorer task-based planning ability and more observed aggression,” the study said.
These traits were expected to affect the long-term academic success of the children, the study stated.
Results of the study may be taken into consideration for clinical recommendations regarding the use of cannabis by pregnant women, researchers concluded.
Some women could resort to cannabis to deal with challenges faced during pregnancy such as stress, sleep problems, and nausea. However, “this is not recommended,” Keim said, while advising pregnant women to consult a health care provider to find safer options to deal with such issues.
“Our findings were not surprising—they actually confirm and expand on longstanding evidence from previous research,” Keim stated.
Researchers also identified a 19 percent higher risk that the placenta in these women could separate from the uterus.
“As we continue to learn about the potential harms and benefits of prenatal cannabis use, clinicians must provide coordinated, non-stigmatizing care and education to support pregnant individuals in making informed decisions about cannabis use,” the study’s authors said.
Researchers examined cannabis’s effects on fetuses by using mice. Fetal exposure to cannabis reduced the ability of mice’s prefrontal cortex to be readily roused into action. The prefrontal cortex is crucial for learning. Among female offspring, cognitive impairments were detected.
“Our findings suggest that avoiding use of just one of these substances can decrease the pregnancy risks we see when both substances are used together, which is a critical piece of information providers can highlight when counseling patients,” said Dr. Adam Crosland, lead author of the study.
Chemicals such as tetrahydrocannabinol present in cannabis can pass through the mother’s body into the baby and harm the child’s development, the agency said.
“It is recommended that pregnant persons do not use cannabis,” the CDC said.