WHY IT MATTERS: Pregnant patients currently using cannabis for nausea or anxiety should understand that new preclinical evidence suggests THC exposure may alter placental biology in ways potentially linked to long-term neurodevelopmental risk in their children. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Emerging preclinical research is examining how prenatal THC exposure may leave biological signatures in placental tissue that correspond to markers associated with schizophrenia risk. The placenta, long underappreciated as a clinically meaningful organ, appears to respond to cannabinoid exposure in ways that could influence fetal neurodevelopment through epigenetic and inflammatory pathways.
Can the placenta predict schizophrenia risk? Lessons from prenatal cannabis exposure
WHY IT MATTERS: If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant and currently use cannabis, this research underscores why having an honest, judgment-free conversation with your physician about timing, risks, and alternatives is essential for both your care and your baby’s long-term neurodevelopmental health. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Emerging research is exploring how prenatal cannabis exposure may alter genetic markers in the placenta, particularly in pregnancies associated with low birth weight, and whether those placental changes could serve as early indicators of neurodevelopmental risk including schizophrenia. This builds on what we already know clinically about the endocannabinoid system’s critical role in fetal brain development and placental function.
Cannabis and Pregnancy: 5 Hidden Truths Doctors Ignore
Cannabis and pregnancy is not a black-and-white issue—but you wouldn’t know that from most media headlines. In this thought-provoking piece, Dr. Caplan breaks down the uncomfortable truths about risk, suffering, and why patients deserve personalized, harm-reduction-focused care today. The future of pregnancy care demands we stop sweeping these conversations under the rug—and start facing them with honesty and compassion.
The use of cannabis and perceptions of its effect on fertility among infertility patients
As a result of cannabis use being legalized in Canada in October 2018, more Canadians have reported to begin consuming it in recent years. Meanwhile, scientific study has demonstrated multiple consequences of...
The Effects of Cannabis sativa L. Seed (Hemp Seed) on Reproductive and Neurobehavioral End Points in Rats
Hemp is defined as a cannabis plant with 0.3% or less THC - the compound responsible for the psychoactive effects of marijuana - in constituents. Marijuana, and specifically THC, were found by...
April 26th, 2020
Cannabis teratology explains current patterns of Coloradan congenital defects- the contribution of increased cannabinoid exposure to rising teratological trends In Summary Researchers have recently found that the frequency of major birth defects...