Weed During Pregnancy – Is it Safe or can it Cause Harm?

Weed During Pregnancy

With the widespread legalization of weed in Canada, across the U.S. and globally as attitudes on getting high appear to be coming around to the benefits of our favorite plant, there has been a substantial spike in the number pregnant women who still like to continue enjoying cannabis during the pregnancy. The big question which this poses is, just how healthy is using weed during your pregnancy, and are there any adverse effects which could be caused by weed use while you are expecting.

Those are exactly the questions that we will look into throughout this article which will also reference scientific studies on the topic. So, if you or your partner is pregnant and enjoys using during that time, take a minute to read through and collect some helpful advice.

Why do People Want to Use Weed During Pregnancy

There are a variety of reasons why some women may still want to enjoy weed during pregnancy. Among these are a few of the following:

  • Stress: Being pregnant can be a hugely stressful time for many women. Your body is going through so many dramatic hormonal and physical changes that you may need to something to help you feel calm and relaxed during it all. Marijuana is, of course, an excellent choice for keeping your anxiety levels low.
  • Craving: Throughout the duration of pregnancy, you are bound to develop some cravings for certain items. This can manifest as an almost insatiable desire. Given the many delicious edibles and other very appealing flavors like ginger cookies and ice-cream cake, it is no surprise that many develop a craving toward weed-related products. Sure we are more accustomed to hearing about chocolate and other cravings, but increasingly weed is among the many sought after items during this time.
  • Routine: If you are using weed through pregnancy, the chances are that you didn’t just start during that period, you are continuing your routine, and doing so with the presumption that there are no negative effects in doing so. This is something that most (including us) see as a very normal, day to day activity.
  • Medical: If you are a patient who is already taking a prescribed dosage of weed for some condition or other, then why would you stop doing so? The medicinal applications and benefits of CBD and weed-related products are widespread and becoming more well-known by the day. This is something we will discuss more in the following sections.

These are just a few of the reasons why you may be continuing to use weed into your pregnancy, and considering the fact that all of these reasons have their benefits, there is currently no reason for you to worry about using while you are pregnant. You are simply continuing to enjoy the same great products as everyone else during a testing time of your life.

Some Benefits of Using Weed During Pregnancy

There is a big crossover when it comes to the benefits of marijuana use during pregnancy and the benefits of use at any other time in your life. In fact, some of the benefits may be further increased by the fact you are carrying a child. So, does this actually make it more beneficial to use weed during pregnancy? – Here are some of the positives:

  • Fight Aches and Pains: We all know that your body can ache much more and in places, you did not even know were possible when you are pregnant. That and the huge train which carrying another human can bring to your back can put you in a world of pain. Slipped discs and other issues are not unheard of. If you are feeling this pressure, then what better way to get some welcome relief than from your favorite strains or other products. These greatly help to ease muscle aches and even chronic pain conditions in patients of all shapes and sizes.
  • Reduce Inflammation: Another common issue that happens during pregnancy is inflammation around the body. This can be particularly prevalent around the joints. As we all know, one of the areas where cannabis can work wonders is in the reduction of inflammation and the control of your blood-pressure with certain strains. This could be just what the doctor ordered if you are feeling the pressure during your pregnancy.
  • Promote Sleep: Getting a good night of sleep is something that can be hard at the best of times for many. This is especially true if you are sleeping for two. Discomfort or pre-existing sleep conditions, combined with the stresses of childbirth may well be keeping you awake at night. If this is the case, there is sometimes no better sleep aid than weed. Some of the more potent strains will induce you into a post-high slumber like no other. This can ultimately prove a blessing if you are struggling to get your rest.
  • Relieve Anxiety: This may be one of the premium benefits associated with weed use during pregnancy. It can be a hugely stressful time period for both body and mind. Weed can help you feel calm, relax your anxieties, and in many cases, help you through some of the most challenging days, much as it would if you were not pregnant at all.

Drawbacks of Weed Use During Pregnancy

As with the benefits, there may also be some drawbacks of using weed during pregnancy. These at present are confined more to psychological effects rather than actual medical consequences and can include the following:

  • Increased Anxiety: This increased anxiety likely comes as a result of your own concern about whether or not you are choosing the healthy option by using weed. There is also a tremendous hormonal change going on in your body which may mean that the same weed products you have potentially used for years, can suddenly have a different impact on you. The fact that your high can change over time is something that many users have difficulty in reconciling.
  • Dependency: This can apply to any product during pregnancy. Let’s use the chocolate example again. It makes you feel better during your period of pregnancy, therefore, you may begin to lean on it a little too heavily and over-consume. This is using certain products as a crutch of sorts, which can also be hard to break through again even after the pregnancy is over.

These are a couple of the key issues which can occur, and as with many other cravings or products used during pregnancy or difficult life periods, the key most likely lays in moderation.

Are There Any Real Risks – Is It Safe?

This is the major question and the answer actually remains very much up for debate. As time passes and the number of studies increases, we are starting to collect more and more data on the effects cannabis may or may not have on pregnancy, yet a lot of the conclusions still remain unclear.

On one of the major questions and connections made in the past though, the effect of cannabis use on the birth weight of babies, the results from this study show there to be no significant risk associated with cannabis use when it comes to birth weight.

With this and other studies going back as far as the early 1990s showing no significant impact from the use of cannabis during pregnancy to baby development both physically and mentally, the pathway would seem to be quite clear. Still though, we stop short on saying for certain that there are no adverse effects. Each case and person is unique. This was effectively the conclusion reached in 2016 report released on the matter.

What it is safe to say is that no notable risks or connections have been established between pregnancy and the use of your favorite weed. If this were to be the case, we would certainly let you know as much, though at the moment it would appear to be very much based on personal opinion and preference rather than medical fact or any conclusive data.

Final Thoughts

As lovers of weed, we are inclined to come down in favor of the no-risk camp when the question of should you use during pregnancy or not is broached. With that said, it in no way constitutes medical advice, and your doctor would more than likely advise against it.

If you are planning to continue using weed during pregnancy though, we would strongly suggest strains or products with low or no psychoactive effects. This is simply to remain on the side of ultra caution, and there are many great CBD strains and CBD only products that you can try which would certainly be beneficial to body and mind. A final point to remember is that everything in moderation can be just fine!

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