Women’s cannabis use before, during, and after pregnancy in New Hampshire

Skelton, Kara; Hecht, Anna; Benjamin‐Neelon, Sara E.

doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101262

Cited by 23 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 30 publications

(48 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Surveys of people in the United States who used cannabis during pregnancy indicate they do so to relieve stress, anxiety, chronic pain, nausea and vomiting. 51,52 However, our participants differed from those in previous survey studies because nearly half of the survey participants disclosed recreational cannabis use during pregnancy, which may reflect a difference in populations, greater social desirability bias in qualitative interviews or both.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Reasons for cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation: a qualitative study

Vanstone

Taneja

Popoola

et al. 2021

CMAJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

annabis use by pregnant and lactating people is increasing, though it is difficult to establish the prevalence of cannabis use in pregnancy. Reported prevalence varies from 2% to 36%, depending on the methodology used to detect use, the population studied and the definition of use. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] Pregnant people have reported using cannabis to manage pregnancy-related conditions (e.g., nausea, weight gain, sleep difficulty) [13][14][15][16][17][18][19] and pre-existing conditions (e.g., mental health, insomnia, chronic pain), 13,14,18 as well as to improve mood, mental, physical and spiritual well-being, 16,18 provide pleasure and manage stress. [13][14][15][16] Recent systematic reviews have not found empirical data on reasons for cannabis use during lactation. 20,21 Evidence is still emerging about clinical outcomes related to cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation, and wellcontrolled studies are lacking. [22][23][24] The available evidence is limited by reliance on self-reported data about dose, composition and timing of exposure, the changing nature of tetrahydrocannabinol levels in cannabis over time, and a lack of studies that control for known confounders such as polysubstance and tobacco use. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31] The available evidence does suggest that cannabis use during pregnancy may be associated with complications such as low birth weight, childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes and preterm birth. [22][23][24]32,33 Very few studies have analyzed the outcomes associated with cannabis exposure through breastmilk, with 1 study suggesting decreased infant motor development and another showing no effects on developmental outcomes. [34][35][36] Given the potential harms identified, and in the absence of high-quality evidence available to guide practice, most clinical guidelines recommend abstinence from cannabis during pregnancy and lactation. [37][38][39] People who perceive benefits from cannabis may wish to or may be motivated to continue using it through pregnancy and lactation, however. Counselling that explores the reasons

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Reasons for cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation: a qualitative study

Vanstone

Taneja

Popoola

et al. 2021

CMAJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In comparative analysis with the cannabis‐only studies, it was remarkable that few of these studies addressed the perceived benefits of cannabis use. The herbal medicine studies were notable here in their discussion of the efficacy of cannabis for controlling nausea and vomiting 61 , 62 . In the other 10 studies, benefits were only mentioned incidentally, such as when quotes from individual participants mentioned using cannabis to treat depression and other health problems 52 or to manage stress and forget problems 52 , 53 .…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pregnant People's Perspectives On Cannabis Use During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Integrative Mixed‐Methods Research Synthesis

Vanstone

Panday

Popoola

et al. 2022

J Midwife Womens Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: Rates of perinatal cannabis use are rising, despite clinical evidence about the potential for harm. Accordingly, pregnant and lactating people who perceive a benefit from cannabis use may have a difficult time making informed decisions about cannabis use. Methods:We conducted a systematic review of mixed-methods research to synthesize existing knowledge on the perspectives of pregnant people and their partners about cannabis use in pregnancy. Six health and social science databases were searched up until May 30, 2021. There were no methodological, time, or geographic limits applied. We employed a convergent integrative approach to the inductive analysis of findings from all studies. Results:We identified 26 studies describing views of 17,781 pregnant and postpartum people about cannabis use in pregnancy. No studies describing the views of partners were identified, and only one study specifically addressed the perspectives of lactating people. Comparative analysis revealed that whether cannabis was studied alone or grouped with other substances resulted in significant diversity in descriptions of participant decision-making priorities and perceptions of risks and benefits. Studies of cannabis alone demonstrated a complex decision-making process whereby perceived benefits are balanced against the available information about risk, which is often unclear and uncertain. Clear and helpful information was difficult to identify, and health care providers were not described as a helpful and trusted resource for decision-making.Discussion: Decision-making about cannabis use is difficult for pregnant and lactating people who perceive a benefit from this use, although this decisional difficulty is seldom reflected in studies that examine cannabis as one of multiple substances that pregnant or lactating people may use. Our review suggests several approaches clinicians may take to encourage open and supportive conversations to facilitate informed decisions about cannabis use during the perinatal period.

show abstract

“…19 Other studies have demonstrated that women self-report using cannabis in the perinatal period to manage stress, mood, and symptoms of nausea and vomiting. 16,20–22 However, one of these studies demonstrated that although women with nausea and vomiting were more likely to use cannabis during pregnancy, prenatal use increased from 2009 to 2016 among both women with nausea/vomiting and those without, suggesting that other factors also contribute to the increased prevalence of use during pregnancy. 20…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal Cannabis Use in the Perinatal Period: Data From the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Marijuana Supplement, 2016–2018

Sood

Trasande

Mehta‐Lee

et al. 2021

Journal of Addiction Medicine

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of perinatal cannabis use (ie, before and/or during pregnancy); document the frequency, modes, and motivations for use; and identify predictors of perinatal cannabis use. Methods: Six states in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System, a state-specific, population-based surveillance system, administered a supplemental questionnaire on perinatal cannabis use in 2016-2018. Women with live births were surveyed 2-6 months postpartum about behaviors ≤ 3 months preconception and during pregnancy. Demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics were examined in relation to perinatal cannabis use using multinomial regression models. Those who: (1) never used cannabis, (2) only used in preconception period, and (3) used in both preconception and prenatal periods were compared. Results: Among 6428 respondents, 379 (5.8%) used cannabis preconceptionally only and 466 (4.4%) used in both the preconception and prenatal periods. Among those using prenatally, most reported smoking as their single mode (87.1%), with the two most common reasons being stress (83.8%) and nausea/vomiting (79.2%). Marital status, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, parity, and cigarette and alcohol use were significantly associated with perinatal cannabis use. Single (vs partnered) women were more likely to use cannabis prenatally (odds ratio = 2.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.5, 3.9) and non-Hispanic Black (vs White) women were less likely to use prenatally (odds ratio = 0.4, 95% confidence interval: 0.2, 0.8). Conclusions: Using a population-based sample of US births in six states, several demographic, psychosocial, and behavioral characteristics were identified in relation to perinatal cannabis use. These data are valuable for counseling in prenatal care and investigations of health effects.

show abstract

Women’s cannabis use before, during, and after pregnancy in New Hampshire

Cited by 23 publications

References 30 publications

Reasons for cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation: a qualitative study

Reasons for cannabis use during pregnancy and lactation: a qualitative study

Pregnant People's Perspectives On Cannabis Use During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Integrative Mixed‐Methods Research Synthesis

Maternal Cannabis Use in the Perinatal Period: Data From the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System Marijuana Supplement, 2016–2018

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About