Cannabis Science, Educational, Research

Marijuana use during pregnancy linked to autism in babies, study says

Posted on by Green Mart
Researchers tease out genetic differences between cannabis strains
11
Aug

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

(CNN)In what they call the largest study ever done, researchers found using marijuana while pregnant may increase the risk that a child will develop autism.

“Women who used cannabis during pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism,” said study author Dr. Darine El-Chaâr, a maternal fetal medicine specialist and clinical investigator at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Canada.
“These are not reassuring findings. We highly discourage use of cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding,” she said.
Past studies have shown the use of marijuana during pregnancy is linked to low birth weight, impulsivity, hyperactivity, attention issues and other cognitive and behavioral issue in children, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pregnant women who use marijuana, one study found, have a 2.3 times greater risk of stillbirth.
Read more from the source: CNN.com
Photo Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.