A recent study published in the April issue of Psychiatry Research reveals that children whose mothers experienced cannabis use disorder (CUD) during pregnancy and postpartum are at a higher risk for developing behavioral disorders. This study was conducted by Abay Woday Tadesse and colleagues from the School of Population Health at Curtin University in Australia.
The researchers analyzed data from 222,604 mother-child pairs with live births recorded between 2003 and 2005. They found that children exposed to maternal CUD during various periods—antenatal, perinatal, and postnatal—had significantly increased risks for disruptive behavioral disorders. Specifically, the risk ratios were 3.56 for antenatal exposure, 3.55 for perinatal, and 2.95 for postnatal, compared to children who were not exposed.
Coauthor Rosa Alati, Ph.D., highlighted that cannabinoid ingredients can cross the placenta and enter breast milk, which may impact brain development. She emphasized that this research provides essential evidence to inform health policies aimed at reducing harm from maternal cannabis use.
