The research abstract, “Maternal Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Assessing In-Hospital Outcomes of Early Preterm Infants,” analyzed the health history of 763 early premature babies from 2014 to 2020 and will be introduced at the virtual American Academy of Pediatric patients National Conference & Exhibition. Scientists discovered that 17 percent of their mom’s test was positive for THC at the moment of childbirth.
The substances in marijuana are known for their evil effects on the human body, and the same can be troublesome to a pregnant female if she opts for consumption of the same during her gestation. Breast milk proves the founder of the health for the newborn, and hence it was necessary to study the effects of marijuana consumption on pregnant females.
The Short-Term Effects Of Marijuana-Infused Breast Milk On Preterm Newborns Are Unknown
Marijuana legalization had been linked to an upsurge in use among females of reproductive age. Since tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the main components in marijuana, travels via breastfeeding, some neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) limit the usage of breastfeeding from THC-positive females due to the uncertain consequences on premature children.
In comparison to formula milk, research has proven that nursing such premature newborns’ baby formula is among of the best methods to enhance their results since it contributes to reduced illnesses and digestive difficulties, increased neurogenesis, and full expansion.
Scientists examined early premature babies who were fed baby formula from THC-positive moms to those who are fed both formulas or breastfeeding from THC-negative moms & observed no difference in quick health effects, including breathing problems, lung development, or feeding challenges.
When fed their mom’s breastfeeding milk, very premature infants delivered to women tested positive for cannabis at birth are equally well by the time they were discharged as children who did not get their mom’s breastfeeding milk.
“Providing breast milk from THC-positive women to preterm infants remains controversial since long-term effects of this exposure are unknown,” said Natalie L. Davis, MD, MMSc, abstract author and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the School of Medicine and Attending Neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital.
“For this reason, we continue to strongly recommend that women avoid marijuana use while pregnant and while nursing their babies. Our study, however, did provide some reassuring news in terms of short-term health effects. It indicates that more research is needed in this area to help provide women and doctors with further guidance.”
According to a survey based on a dataset of 4969 postpartum mothers, some who acknowledged smoking marijuana are higher prone to consume smokes, have post-depression episodes, and lactate for less than eight weeks.
“Teasing out the effects of THC can be very difficult to study,” Dr. Davis said. “We found that women who screened positive for THC were frequently late to obtain prenatal care, which can have a detrimental effect on their baby separate from marijuana use. This is important to note for future public health interventions.”
Colorado approved medicinal marijuana in 2001 & recreational marijuana in 2012. In a cross-sectional study performed in Colorado in 2014 and 2015, it was discovered that antenatal and postpartum marijuana usage is linked to reduced lactation length.
Sixty-four percent of females who used cannabis throughout gestation nursed for nine weeks or more, opposed to 78 percent of females who had not consumed cannabis before pregnancy.
Fifty-eight percent of females who used cannabis postpartum nursed for nine weeks more than, opposed to 79 percent of mothers who did not utilize cannabis postnatal. The disparities are economically substantial in both cases.
Because cigarette consumption is recognized to shorten nursing time, the impact of marijuana is unclear. The majority of females who consumed marijuana after giving birth did so while pregnant.
