Cannabis Use During Pregnancy

The mind-altering compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — can pass through a woman's placenta to the developing fetus during pregnancy and to a baby through breast milk, affecting the growing infant. While data is limited and often confounded by other substance use, research indicates a significant risk of cannabis use in pregnancy. Reviews show infants born to women who used marijuana during pregnancy were more likely to require neonatal intensive care unit admission, had lower birth weights, higher stillbirth rates, and lower Apgar scores (i.e., a test after birth to determine how well the baby tolerated the birthing process).

AAFP has provided a brief worth 5 CME credits to help you better inform your pregnant patients about the possible dangers of using cannabis during their pregnancy.