According to the latest reports, it seems that cannabis use during pregnancy means really bad news for the baby. Here are the latest details about this below.
Cannabis use during pregnancy risks
Studies have shown mixed results when looking into the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on children.
However, a recent Australian meta-analysis of 14 studies involving over 200,000 participants suggests that there may be a link between prenatal cannabis exposure and a higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children.
The findings were published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research and emphasize the importance of prevention and early intervention to avoid exposing unborn children to cannabis.
“We found offspring exposed to prenatal cannabis had an increasing risk of ADHD symptoms and/or disorders and ASD compared to non-exposed,” the research team wrote.
The research team has pointed out that the exact reason why prenatal exposure to cannabis leads to an increased risk of ADHD symptoms or autism isn’t fully understood yet.
Studies on animals suggest that prenatal cannabis exposure directly alters neurodevelopment, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with cognitive impairment and emotion regulation.
Human studies have also shown that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in cannabis, can pass through the placenta and fetal blood-brain barrier.
This can disrupt fetal neurodevelopment, which is similar to the results of the rodent studies.
It has been also revealed that “neurodevelopmental data in humans suggested that prenatal exposure to THC may lead to subtle, persistent alterations in behavioural, cognition and psychological well-being,” the research team wrote.
According to research, cannabis exposure during the first trimester can have a significant impact on children.
This is because many heritable formations occur during this period, which increases the risk of children developing ADHD symptoms such as impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity.
One study that the researchers analyzed indicated that exposing children to cannabis in the womb can lead to dysregulated emotions and emotional tendencies, such as aggressiveness, high impulsivity, or affective disorders. It can also increase the risk of developing a substance use disorder.