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CBD During Pregnancy: What Are The Implications?

CBD During Pregnancy
Written by Alexandra Hicks

Pregnancy restrictions run the gamut with everything from avoiding lunchmeat to staying out of the sun; and of course, smoking is also a big no-no.

But should smoking during pregnancy start being approached with a more situational perspective? Many are starting to accept the idea of smoking (cannabis, NOT cigarettes) during pregnancy. Plus, more and more pregnant women themselves are using cannabis to treat prenatal ailments, even if they choose to be more discreet about it.

Is it safe to use CBD during pregnancy?

In short – Yes. But do so at your own risk.

Opinions on smoking weed while pregnant will vary greatly, but the general consensus is that CBD products are safe and effective for a most pregnancy related symptoms. Pregnancy is a beautiful, joyous occasion, but it’s also quite uncomfortable with issues like swelling joints, swelling breasts, muscle pain, morning sickness, weight gain, stretching ligaments, mood swings, migraines, etc. CBD is known to be effective in resolving these issues and more, and studies show no increased risk of birth-defects associated with its use.

The risks associated are actually not physical, but social ramifications and legal trouble. Many moms are scared to even try it because they don’t want to risk popping on a drug test. A lot of women have mentioned that those bi-weekly urine tests kind of freaked them out and they didn’t know what they were for. So to clarify, those are to test for protein, NOT DRUGS (unless they suspect something). High ­­protein in urine can indicate hypertension and preeclampia­­­. And to expand on that note, keeping CBD use to a certain daily limit makes it highly unlikely to test positive anyway.

Regardless, to further minimize any potential risk to the baby, it’s suggested that pregnant women vape as opposed to actually smoking cannabis.

CBD for prenatal morning sickness

By far one of the most common uses for any type of cannabis product during pregnancy is to alleviate morning sickness. The American Medical Association states that marijuana is dangerous while pregnant and breastfeeding, but that’s debatable as most anecdotal evidence proves otherwise. Not only is cannabidiol a well-touted treatment for nausea, but a lot of people, professionals included, are starting to believe that it’s also much safer than prescription medications for morning sickness.

Zofran, a very common anti-nausea medication that’s often prescribed to pregnant women, is frequently at the center of controversy. A December 2014 study by Dr. Gideon Koren published in the of American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology discusses the risks of taking Zofran during pregnancy.

In the study, 900,000 Danish women and their babies were monitored after taking Zofran. Results show that Zofran and all of its generic versions led to a “2-fold increased risk of cardiac malformations with ondansetron (Zofran), leading to an overall 30 percent increased risk of major congenital malformations.” Critics like to point to an earlier study which found no correlation between Zofran and birth defects, however, that study included only 176 women, which is a smaller sample size than what’s normally necessary to provide accurate information.

It’s arguable that since marijuana research has been fairly limited, there isn’t enough data to determine its safety yet either. And while that technically is true, pregnant women can find many sources of knowledge to give them more information on this topic.

[Image credit- Pixabay]

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About the author

Alexandra Hicks

Managing editor at Cannadelics and U.S based journalist, helping spread the word about the many benefits of using cannabis and psychedelics.