Roman Gabrhelík1, Milada Mahic2, Ingunn Olea Lund2, Jørgen Bramness2, Randi Selmer2, Eva Skovlund2,3, Marte Handal2, Svetlana Skurtveit2,4. 1. Department of Addictology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia, roman.gabrhelik@lf1.cuni.cz. 2. Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway. 3. Department of Public Health and Nursing, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. 4. Norwegian Centre for Addiction Research, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: With recent changes in legislation regulating recreational and medical cannabis use around the globe, increased use in pregnancy is to be expected. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between cannabis use during pregnancy and birth outcomes. METHOD: Data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), a prospective pregnancy cohort, were used. Participants were recruited from all over Norway between 1999 and 2008: 9,312 women with 10,373 pregnancies who reported use of cannabis before or in pregnancy. Women reported on their illegal drug use before pregnancy and at pregnancy weeks 17/18 and 30 and at 6 months postpartum. Linear regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on birth outcomes. RESULTS: In 10,101 pregnancies, women had used cannabis before pregnancy but not during pregnancy. In 272 pregnancies, women had used cannabis during pregnancy, and among these, in 63 pregnancies, women had used cannabis in at least 2 periods. In adjusted analyses for potential confounders, only cannabis use during at least 2 periods of pregnancy showed statistically significant effects on birth weight. The effect was observed in the complete cohort (B = -228 g, 95% CI = -354 to -102, p < 0.001) and for the subgroup where information about the child's father was available (B = -225 g, 95% CI = -387 to -63, p = 0.01). Our results may indicate that prolonged use causes more harm, whereas short-term use did not indicate adverse effects on birth outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant and clinically relevant association between the use of cannabis during pregnancy and reduced birth weight. Clinicians should screen not only for cannabis use but also for the length and intensity of use as part of a comprehensive substance use screening.
BACKGROUND: With recent changes in legislation regulating recreational and medical cannabis use around the globe, increased use in pregnancy is to be expected. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between cannabis use during pregnancy and birth outcomes. METHOD: Data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), a prospective pregnancy cohort, were used. Participants were recruited from all over Norway between 1999 and 2008: 9,312 women with 10,373 pregnancies who reported use of cannabis before or in pregnancy. Women reported on their illegal drug use before pregnancy and at pregnancy weeks 17/18 and 30 and at 6 months postpartum. Linear regression was used to estimate crude and adjusted effects of prenatal cannabis exposure on birth outcomes. RESULTS: In 10,101 pregnancies, women had used cannabis before pregnancy but not during pregnancy. In 272 pregnancies, women had used cannabis during pregnancy, and among these, in 63 pregnancies, women had used cannabis in at least 2 periods. In adjusted analyses for potential confounders, only cannabis use during at least 2 periods of pregnancy showed statistically significant effects on birth weight. The effect was observed in the complete cohort (B = -228 g, 95% CI = -354 to -102, p < 0.001) and for the subgroup where information about the child's father was available (B = -225 g, 95% CI = -387 to -63, p = 0.01). Our results may indicate that prolonged use causes more harm, whereas short-term use did not indicate adverse effects on birth outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: There was a statistically significant and clinically relevant association between the use of cannabis during pregnancy and reduced birth weight. Clinicians should screen not only for cannabis use but also for the length and intensity of use as part of a comprehensive substance use screening.
Authors: H El Marroun; H Tiemeier; V W V Jaddoe; A Hofman; F C Verhulst; W van den Brink; A C Huizink Journal: Eur Addict Res Date: 2010-10-26 Impact factor: 3.015
Authors: Megan E Passey; Robert W Sanson-Fisher; Catherine A D'Este; Janelle M Stirling Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2013-09-14 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Shefali Sood; Leonardo Trasande; Shilpi S Mehta-Lee; Sara G Brubaker; Akhgar Ghassabian; Melanie H Jacobson Journal: J Addict Med Date: 2021-09-22 Impact factor: 4.647
Authors: Annia A Martínez-Peña; Kendrick Lee; Madison Pereira; Ahmed Ayyash; James J Petrik; Daniel B Hardy; Alison C Holloway Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2022-07-20 Impact factor: 6.208