The use of cannabis edibles has increased largely among pregnant women in recent years. Even after the warnings and risk factors, pregnant women depend more on cannabis to get rid of pregnancy-related depression and other physical issues. The recent study in the U.S. has proved that the number of women having cannabis during pregnancy has increased, and the number of women having cannabis even before the months of pregnancy has become doubled. This has caused an increase in pregnancy discrimination.
Risk Factors of Cannabis during Pregnancy
The latest research of the FDA shows that consuming cannabis during pregnancy can affect the brain development of a fetus. While the would-be mother is consuming marijuana or any other cannabis during pregnancy, THC (a fatal cannabinoid) can reach the brain of the fetus through the bloodstream of the mother and hamper the normal brain development.
Cannabis is not only harmful to the pregnant ladies, but the new mothers are also not out of the threat of this harmful object. If a mother consumes cannabis when she is breastfeeding to her baby, it can enter into the baby’s body through the milk and affect the brain development of a newborn baby. Later, it can result in poor cognitive function, hyperactivity, and other deadly consequences.
Besides hampering brain development, the use of cannabis during pregnancy or right after that can also affect the proper growth of a fetus and the baby, respectively. You can have a baby with low birth weight and height. Consuming marijuana can also result in premature birth, stillbirth, and miscarriage, especially if the mother consumes it during the second and third trimester.
Why Women Consume Cannabis Edibles during Pregnancy?
Further research has shown that consuming cannabis edibles during pregnancy has increased largely in recent years. If it was 3.4% during 2003 and 2004, until 2016-17, it has increased up to 7%, and the main cause is awareness among the mothers. Researchers have said that women are not well-informed about the risk of using cannabis during pregnancy. Moreover, they also think that cannabis is safe during pregnancy, and it happens due to a lack of communication between a pregnant lady and a doctor.
Thus, doctors must spread awareness against cannabis during pregnancy and right after that. They should talk about the risk factors and health issues for the woman and her child, so this practice comes to a stop completely and there is no case of pregnancy discrimination.
