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According to new federal data, fewer women smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol during pregnancy, but they consume more marijuana.
Between 2002 and 2016, the percentage of pregnant women who reported smoking cigarettes while waiting dropped significantly: from 17.5% to about 10%, according to a research letter published Monday in JAMA Pediatrics. Alcohol consumption also decreased slightly during this period, from around 10% to around 8.5%. However, cannabis use among pregnant women – although relatively rare – is increasing, from nearly 3% to almost 5% of pregnant women.
These figures are based on responses to the national survey on drug use and health. About 12,000 pregnant women aged 18 to 44 responded to the survey between 2002 and 2016; About 3,500 of these women were in the first trimester of pregnancy, a critical period for fetal development.
Although the new document does not assess the reasons for substance use trends, the slight rise in cannabis use is likely related to the easing of marijuana laws across the country. Marijuana for medical purposes is now legal in the majority of US states, while recreational marijuana use is legal in nine states, resulting in a significant increase in the number of Americans who report consuming it. . (Researchers have noted that previous studies have resulted in different rates of marijuana use during pregnancy, probably because of the diversity of study methodologies, even though the trends recorded are similar.)
TIME Health Newsletter
At the same time, the decrease in cigarette consumption during pregnancy corresponds to an overall decrease in the number of Americans who smoke. The percentage of smokers in the United States has recently reached a new low, rising from 45.1 million cigarette users in 2005 to 36.5 million, or about 15% of the population in 2015. The researchers found, however, that smoking reductions were less pronounced. among certain subgroups of pregnant women, including black women, women aged 26 to 44, and women who have not completed high school.
Consumption of alcohol has remained relatively stable in recent years, both among pregnant women and among American adults in general. Although research shows that excessive consumption of alcohol during pregnancy is associated with infant health risks, namely the fetal alcohol-related disorder, experts are still divided on the amount of acceptable intake for pregnant women. Some doctors argue that they should not drink at all, while others suggest that light drinking is probably safe.
There is much less research on the effects of marijuana on health, but in general, the CDC and other public health organizations have warned pregnant women not to use this drug during pregnancy, because of potential developmental risks for infants. Similar warnings exist for smoking cigarettes during pregnancy.
The authors of the new document have echoed these warnings. "There is a need to increase public awareness of the impact of prenatal cannabis exposure on the health of offspring," they write.
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