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New research has shown that although American women have reduced their use of alcohol and cigarettes during their pregnancy in recent years, they are increasingly using another vice: cannabis.
In a research letter published this week (November 6) in JAMA Pediatrics, a group of practitioners at the University of Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis revealed that between 2002 and 2016, the consumption of 39, alcohol and cigarettes by pregnant women in the United States had decreased, but cannabis use Rose.
Researchers used data from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health, conducted by the administration of addiction and mental health services, to track the evolution consumption of alcohol, cigarettes and cannabis during pregnancy from 2002 to 2016 among women aged 18 to 44 years. in 2016, of a sample of almost 13,000 women, 8.43% reported drinking alcohol in the last 30 days, 10.34% smoked cigarettes and 4.98% cannabis. In 2002, these proportions were 9.59%, 17.5% and 2.85% respectively.
SAMHSA surveys included data on women aged 15 to 18, but researchers excluded this age category in their report because they wanted to focus on adult women.
The decrease in alcohol and cigarette consumption during pregnancy is encouraging, but perhaps not surprising, given that a major public health campaign was aimed at sensitizing women to the development risks associated with HIV / AIDS. consumption during pregnancy. When a pregnant woman drinks, the alcohol passes directly from her blood to the baby through the umbilical cord. High alcohol consumption increases the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth in women and can lead the baby to develop a range of permanent physical, behavioral and intellectual disabilities, called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders.
When a woman smokes cigarettes during pregnancy, she can also harm her baby. The use of cigarettes increases the risk of premature labor, certain birth defects such as cleft palate and infant death. Smoking can also impact the placenta, the baby's source of food and oxygen during pregnancy.
Cannabis has a reputation for being more "natural" or healthier than cigarettes or alcohol. However, earlier this year, in response to its legalization in some US states and Canada, the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) has expressed concern over the limited knowledge we have about the disease. impact of cannabis use on pregnant women and their babies.
To this end, the AAP has issued guidelines on cannabis use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. They claim that women who smoke cannabis during pregnancy are more likely to develop anemia and that infants exposed to cannabis in the uterus are more likely to be born with an underweight and need to be born. be admitted to an intensive care unit after birth. However, as explained by the AAP, studies that measure the impact of cannabis use on pregnancy are flawed. They are based primarily on reported use, which means that women may be encouraged to underestimate their use. They are generally not adjusted to account for other lifestyle-related risk factors, such as smoking or alcohol. And, because of ethical concerns, it is impossible to conduct a randomized controlled trial that would answer these questions – a common obstacle in pregnancy research.
Although the overall impact of cannabis use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is poorly known, the best evidence available suggests that prenatal exposure can expose a baby to short-term and long-term developmental and behavioral consequences. . Therefore, the AAP recommends to all young women that "if they become pregnant, marijuana should not be used during pregnancy."
Learn more about our series on the rewiring of childhood. This report is part of a series funded by a grant from the Bernard van Leer Foundation. The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of the Bernard van Leer Foundation.
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