Is It Safe to Smoke Weed While Pregnant?

It’s now safe and legal for adults across Canada to buy weed online. Weed has many uses, both recreational and practical. Many people use weed for the relaxing, euphoric, and overall enjoyable high it produces. Others use it for medical purposes, especially as it can swiftly relieve feelings of pain, nausea, physical tension, anxiety, stress, and more. But is it safe to smoke weed while pregnant?

Research shows that marijuana use while pregnant is common. One study found that marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug during pregnancy, especially as it can relieve nausea, anxiety, and morning sickness. However, that doesn’t mean that pregnant women should smoke weed. Some studies suggest that weed may affect the development of your child, and there’s not enough research to determine whether it’s safe. Here’s everything you need to know.

What Are The Effects Of Weed?

Also known as marijuana or cannabis, weed has many positive effects that make it a popularly used substance. For instance, many women smoke weed while pregnant for the enjoyable effects it can produce both physically and mentally. Although each strain of weed differs, they can all produce a happy and euphoric high that makes it popular for recreational use.

Common effects of weed include increased happiness, reduced stress, a sense of euphoria, heightened senses, and a deeply relaxing body high. This is mostly due to the effects of THC- a cannabinoid found in weed that activates reward circuits in the brain and impacts the body’s endocannabinoid system. Other cannabinoids and terpenes also enhance the effects.

Weed isn’t just a recreational drug, either. Medical marijuana use is becoming increasingly common. The physical effects of weed can help reduce pain, inflammation, nausea, headaches, migraines, and various other forms of physical tension. Meanwhile, the mental effects can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression quickly. It can also boost your appetite and help you sleep. However, using weed while pregnant is still risky.

How Weed Affects Pregnant Women

Statistics show that weed is commonly used by pregnant women to reduce issues such as morning sickness, nausea, and stress. However, while pregnant women may find the medical benefits of marijuana helpful, consuming THC while pregnant may carry risks and it’s best to avoid it.

Marijuana may not impact every woman negatively. For instance, a long-term study carried out in Jamaica assessed the development of 59 children. The study found no difference in the development of children whose mothers smoked weed during their pregnancy and children whose mothers were free of marijuana. The findings suggest that marijuana did not negatively impact the children’s growth, and the children in the marijuana group even performed better on tests that assessed their reflexes and autonomic stability.

However, other research shows that using marijuana while pregnant may carry risks for your children. A meta-analysis of studies found that prenatal exposure to cannabis could result in lower birth weight. Low birth weight is often connected to complications such as breathing problems and low oxygen levels.

Another study suggested that using marijuana while pregnant may affect the baby’s brain negatively as THC is a neurotoxin. Although further research is needed, this suggests that it’s best to avoid marijuana use while pregnant. 

A report by CADTH found mixed results- some studies suggested that using marijuana while pregnant could increase the risk of complications for the baby while others suggested it posed no risk to the development of unborn children. Despite these mixed results, it’s best for pregnant women to avoid marijuana in case of any risks.

Is It Safe To Smoke Weed While Pregnant?

Current data on whether weed is safe for pregnant women is inconclusive. Some studies suggest that weed has no negative impacts when used by pregnant women. However, others suggest it can impact the baby negatively and result in complications at birth.

Many women may be tempted to try weed as a remedy for issues such as morning sickness, nausea, stress, and anxiety. However, until there is more conclusive research on the effects of marijuana on pregnancy, it’s best to avoid it altogether.

THC is a strong chemical and introducing anything to your body while pregnant should be done with caution. As such, it’s better to steer on the side of safety and abstain from marijuana use while pregnant. If you need something to help with issues such as morning sickness and anxiety, it’s best to talk with a doctor about your options.

Is It Safe To Use CBD While Pregnant?

The biggest concern for women smoke weed while pregnant is its high levels of THC. THC is a strong chemical that can have numerous effects on the body, including negative impacts when used in high doses. Much research on smoke weed while pregnant focuses on the risks of THC to babies. However, some women might consider CBD products instead.

CBD is one of the many cannabinoids in cannabis. However, unlike THC, CBD does not produce psychoactive effects and is much safer to use. Research on the safety of CBD shows that it poses no public health risks and has no potential for abuse. Although side effects are occasionally reported, these are only minor side effects such as diarrhea, fatigue, and changes in mood or appetite.

Many people use CBD for an alternative to THC that doesn’t make them high and doesn’t have any harmful effects. Studies have even shown that CBD can be used regularly in high doses without any risk of overdose or addiction. As such, pregnant women who need an alternative to weed often turn to CBD.

Although using CBD is generally much safer than smoking weed, it may still be best to avoid it. There’s no conclusive research on the effects of CBD during pregnancy, and although it’s safe to use for most people, pregnant women may not want to take the risk. A report by the FDA notes that more research is needed to assess how safe CBD is for pregnant women.

Conclusion

Although smoking weed can have many benefits for your health, it’s best to avoid smoking weed while pregnant. Studies show mixed results, but as some suggest weed may cause complications during birth, pregnant women should avoid smoking weed for the duration of their pregnancy. If you need an alternative to weed to deal with the symptoms of pregnancy, talk to your doctor about your options.