Cannabis is prescribed to people suffering from the side effects of cancer treatment, anxiety, and pain associated with multiple sclerosis, cancer, and the nerves. Some cannabis dispensaries even recommend the drug for morning sickness. But a new study conducted by Canada’s Ottawa Hospital Research Institute has found that one in eight women who smoked while pregnant delivered her baby before 37 weeks. Cannabis might ease discomfort, but it doubles the risk of premature birth.
Does Cannabis Offer “Natural” Relief from Morning Sickness?
“Natural” pain relievers like supplements, vitamins, or other remedies are often considered harmless. The Canadian study, however, found that cannabis may not always fit into that category.
Mothers who have severe morning sickness – especially women with hyperemesis gravidarum, the most severe form of pregnancy sickness, nausea, and vomiting – may be willing to try just about anything to ease their suffering, especially if it’s doctor-approved. Obstetricians sometimes prescribe anti-nausea medication to ease a pregnant woman’s discomfort.
And then there is cannabis, which some women and medical professionals consider safe as a treatment for morning sickness. But do the risks posed to a mother and baby because of severe morning sickness outweigh the risks of premature labor caused by cannabis use?
Prenatal and Postnatal Dangers of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy
Expectant mothers who use cannabis are not only at risk for premature birth, they are more likely to suffer from the pregnancy complication called placental abruption. In this condition, the placenta separates from the uterus wall, which can be fatal for the unborn child. Babies of cannabis smokers are also more likely to spend time in neonatal intensive care, according to the research.
Other safety concerns include impaired brain development, low birth weight, stillbirth, other birth injuries, and all the existing adverse side effects for mother and baby that is associated with any form of smoking.
Additional Risk Factors for Premature Birth
There are always variables in studies of this nature. The Canadian researchers tried to account for the possibility that pregnant cannabis users might have other risks that increase the likelihood of premature birth, like drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes. Even after taking these factors into consideration, the finding was still that women who use cannabis in pregnancy were 41 percent more likely to have a premature birth than women who don’t use cannabis. The chance of premature birth for women who avoided cannabis during pregnancy, according to the study, was one in 17.
The author of the report firmly recommends against women using cannabis in pregnancy and recommends that women speak with their healthcare provider, physician, or midwife to discuss alternatives to cannabis for treating morning sickness.
Did you delivery your baby prematurely? Did a doctor or cannabis dispensary recommend that you use cannabis to ease pregnancy discomfort? Contact the Michigan birth injury lawyers at Thurswell Law to discuss your case and get the compensation you deserve. Schedule a consultation by calling (248) 354-2222 today. We do not charge any fees until we win.
