A recent study from Columbia University highlights a concerning trend: the rates of cannabis use during pregnancy are rising, along with the rates of cannabis use disorder (CUD) among pregnant women. CUD is defined as a condition where individuals struggle to abstain from cannabis use, even when it leads to health and social issues for themselves or those around them.
The researchers analyzed CUD rates from 2015 to 2020, focusing on 893,430 pregnant women aged 12 to 55 who had continuous insurance coverage. This group accounted for a total of 1,058,448 pregnancies. The study found that the yearly prevalence of CUD diagnoses, identified through International Classification of Diseases codes, ranged from 0.22% in 2015 to 0.27% in both 2018 and 2019.
The study also referenced other research indicating that self-reported cannabis use among pregnant women in the U.S. soared from 1.5% in 2002 to 5.4% in 2020. More recent data from 2015 to 2021 found that approximately 6% of pregnant women reported using marijuana in the past month, based on a study that involved 4,338 pregnant patients.
While the researchers acknowledged certain limitations in their study, such as the possibility that administrative health data may underestimate CUD diagnoses due to inconsistent screening practices, they emphasized the considerable implications of their findings. Silvia Martins, the senior author of the study, stated that the results underscore the need for a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to CUD among pregnant women and the importance of diagnosis and treatment.
This study is published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Additionally, recent research from U.S. scientists has suggested a potential link between cannabis use and Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP), raising questions about the implications of cannabis usage, which is typically employed as an antiemetic for non-pregnant patients experiencing nausea.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides information on the potential health effects of cannabis use during pregnancy, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers guidance regarding cannabis use while breastfeeding.
