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Researchers found that Cannabis use affects Pregnancy

cannabis effect on pregnancy

Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Linked to Sleep Disorder in Children

Pregnant women who use cannabis during their pregnancy may be putting their babies at risk of developing sleep disorders later in life.

This was the latest finding by researchers at the University of Colorado. Colorado is one of the first two states to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. 

The researchers analyzed the sleep data of 11,875 children ages 9–10. These children were participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study®), the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States.

The researchers published their findings in the National Sleep foundation’s Sleep Health Journal on June 28, 2020. In the published paper titled “Prenatal cannabis exposure and sleep outcomes in children 9–10 years of age in the adolescent brain cognitive development SM study”, these researchers showed a link between prenatal cannabis use and sleep disorders such as:

  • excess sleepiness
  • low quality sleep
  • tiredness during the day
  • trouble waking up in the morning.

In their earlier studies related to marijuana, these researchers have also shown that smoking weed in early life(age 17 or younger) leads to insomnia in adult life.

The researchers advised that pregnant mothers avoid cannabis use, just like they avoid alcohol. These researchers especially cautioned against misinformed dispensaries that promote cannabis as a cure for morning sickness.

However, since this research work was a correlational study, the authors do not know for certain how prenatal cannabis use leads to sleep problems in children. 

Therefore, they recommend that if you care about the sleep health of your child, abstain from cannabis during pregnancy. 

Also, other sources have also found a link between marijuana use during pregnancy and the poor health of babies. However, most of these studies are not conclusive. Nevertheless, the American Academy of Pediatrics, while acknowledging the lack of conclusive evidence on the effects of prenatal marijuana use on babies, discourages the use of marijuana during pregnancy.