Alcohol and drugs of all forms should obviously be avoided during pregnancy. No reasonable person would dare claim otherwise. Cannabis, as usual, however disturbs the spirits and divides the opinion between those who advise against it outright, even in its legal form, and those who argue that CBD, devoid of notorious side effects, is not not concerned and can, on the contrary, be a source of natural comfort before and after childbirth. The Weedy team disentangles the true from the false so that you can understand the opportunities and limitations of CBD for pregnant women.
Can you use cannabis during pregnancy?
The real question to ask is not whether it is possible, or even reasonable, to consume cannabis during pregnancy, but rather to understand whether legal cannabis use is possible. In all cases, it is imperative toavoid at all costs THC during pregnancy and throughout breastfeeding. Marijuana is therefore, in all cases, to be prohibited and whether it is smoked or consumed according to other modes of intake (infusion, oral route, etc.).
THC cannabis and pregnant women: significant risks
The combination of cannabis rich in THC and pregnancy is well known. We have thus long known that its risks for pregnant women and their babies are the same as for the classic cigarette and its tobacco, if not worse.
Some of the most severe include:
- Increased risk of miscarriage,
- Increased risk of ectopic pregnancy,
- No more premature births,
- Growth delays (-200 g on average at birth for infants whose mother smoked during pregnancy),
- Cognitive delays in children whose mothers smoked marijuana during pregnancy.
Needless to say next to this list that the risks are significant. It simply implies that no level of marijuana use is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
But what about the taking CBD during pregnancy ?
CBD cannabis and pregnant women
As a reminder, cannabidiol, or CBD, is a cannabinoid perfectly legal, freely marketed in many countries around the world, including France and the whole of the European Union. Known for its beneficial effects, it does not no addiction, no psychoactive effects, no side effects notorious known.
There is therefore a priori no major problem associated with taking CBD during pregnancy. However, the state of current research does not allow a clear opinion on the question. Faced with the lack of proof, the precautionary principle is therefore the most reasonable attitude to have regarding the combination of CBD / pregnancy.
Effects of CBD during pregnancy: what we know
Unlike the effects of THC, very little is known about the effects of CBD during pregnancy. Beyond the potential side effects that remain to be understood, cannabidiol may well present particularly interesting potential benefits during maternity :
Thanks to its relaxing and antidepressant effects, CBD could also help the new mother in the period following childbirth. A track still to be studied is thus its exact action on a potential decrease in postpartum depression.
However, just because the pregnancy is over does not mean that the consumption of CBD can no longer have an effect on the infant, especially when breastfeeding.
Effects of CBD on breastfeeding
Again, the research is not at a sufficiently advanced stage to give a firm opinion on the effects of CBD on breastfeeding. It is certain that the THC ingested by the mother is detectable in breastfed infants. To date, the transfer of the CBD molecule and / or some of its effects during lactation thus remains to be proven.
Effects of CBD on young children
The general contraindication to consuming cannabis during pregnancy concerns above all THC. It has the ability to cross the placenta and therefore influence the proper development of the fetus. Unlike CBD, it is not toxic, suggesting a totally different influence on the fetus and, later, on the development of the young child. However, more studies targeting CBD in particular are yet to be conducted.
Infusions and hemp oil during pregnancy: the solution?
There are two major obstacles to the consumption of cannabis during pregnancy: the presence of THC in the plant and combustion, a mode of consumption that is harmful by definition. Faced with this observation, many products derived from cannabis are purely and simply to be banned: CBD flowers (containing up to 0.2% THC), CBD e-liquids (which, if they do not result in combustion, involve the ingestion of steam loaded with cannabinoids) as well as pollens and resins.
CBD infusions and hemp oil are then the only products that do not present no obvious contraindication during pregnancy. CBD hemp oils stand out in particular because, extracted cleanly and composed of quality ingredients, they ensure a total absence of THC in the finished product. Thanks to oral intake (a few drops under the tongue), they are also accompanied by a particularly clean mode of consumption.
The Weedy team guarantees you the sale of quality cannabidiol products, from hemp plants certified by the European Union and free of toxic materials (pesticides, chemical fertilizers, heavy metals in particular). However, once again, during pregnancy as well as the breastfeeding phase, the precautionary principle should apply until the publication of reliable scientific studies clearly explaining the effects of CBD on pregnant women and their infants. Whatever your decision, always consult a doctor : He can recommend the treatment best suited to your needs.
