Daily use of marijuana during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight. Furthermore, children are less resistant to infections, receive lower levels of oxygen and suffer other negative consequences. Yet another proof of cannabis damage in pregnancy comes from a study by the University of Nevada.

The team analyzed data from 450 pregnant women who used marijuana daily. From what has emerged, there is a correlation between this and the weight of the child at the time of delivery. Children are in fact smaller, which puts them at risk both during pregnancy and afterwards. This can have negative consequences even in the long run, long after the birth. Scholars have looked for possible causes.

According to the doctors, marijuana increases the vascular resistance of the placenta, especially in the second and third trimesters. This reduces the influx of oxygen reaching the child, reducing the speed of development. Furthermore, the consumption of marijuana exposes to a series of other chemical substances, among which those contained in the tobacco used to smoke it.

The researchers suspect that much of the damage comes from the smoke itself. Further studies will be needed to understand the negative impacts on daily marijuana use during pregnancy. Nevertheless, it now seems clear that the use of the substance should be discouraged during gestation. Yet almost 16% of women use it over the nine months.

Source: unlv.edu