Issue link: http://accesshealth.uberflip.com/i/1543764
a cce s s H ea l t h N ews . n e t M a rc h 2 0 2 6 Volume 11 | Issue No. 104 16 NIH contends that school children prenatally exposed to marijuana are more likely to show gaps in problem-solving skills, memory and the ability to remain a entive. Medical researchers agree that more research is needed to segment marijuana's specific effects from environmental factors and use of other substances by mothers. Because roughly half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned – with the rate considerably higher for teens and young adults – many women use marijuana without knowing they are pregnant. A different school of thought The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) reports that somewhere between two percent and five percent of women say they used marijuana while pregnant. And since the drug crosses the placenta, harm to the fetus is plausible although the evidence is still unreliable. A review and analysis of 31 previously published studies have found no independent connection between marijuana use and adverse births. A ccording to NIH's National Institute on Drug Abuse, animal research suggests that the body's neural system receptors play a role in controlling the brain's maturation, particularly in the development of emotional responses. Thus, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol – the main mind-altering ingredient found in marijuana) exposure very early in life may negatively affect brain development. The medical community contends that more research is needed to know how marijuana use during pregnancy impacts the health and development of infants. With an increased use of recreational marijuana as new policies have made the drug legal in 19 U.S. states, and significant increases in pregnant women seeking treatment for substance use disorder, it's integral that funding is allocated to learn more about the effects of marijuana use during pregnancy. One study found roughly 20% of pregnant women 24-years old and younger screened positive for marijuana. This revealed they are twice as likely to screen positive for marijuana use when drug tested as opposed to self-reporting. Research in rats, the NIH reports, reveals exposure to even low concentrations of THC late in pregnancy could have profound and long-lasting consequences for both brain and behavior in offspring. aH Marijuana Use During Pregnancy Discouraged, Impact Remains Unknown Published in June 2022