Go Ask Alice!: Smoking pot while pregnant - Will it harm the baby later on?


Dear Reader,

Research studies have shown that women who use recreational drugs during pregnancy tend to use marijuana, thinking that it won't harm the fetus as much as other illegal substances. Although no clear-cut deformity or syndrome is known to occur due to marijuana use during pregnancy (as there is from alcohol use, for example, with fetal alcohol syndrome), there are possible dangers.

Marijuana can also be transmitted through breast milk. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC (the main active ingredient in marijuana), can be as much as 8 times higher in breast milk than in the mother's bloodstream. Babies whose mothers have used marijuana during pregnancy or while breastfeeding sometimes seem jittery and difficult to comfort. They may have some delay in the development of their motor skills, although studies have concluded that this delay may not be permanent. In any case, it is advisable not to smoke marijuana while breastfeeding.

It should be noted that much of the research on the effects of prenatal exposure to marijuana has been complicated and inconclusive. This is mainly because it is difficult to isolate the effects of marijuana from other possible factors such as alcohol, other drug use, socioeconomic status, family structure, and mother's personality. All in all, the healthiest choice for you and your baby is to avoid using recreational chemicals, including marijuana, while pregnant. As difficult as it may be to change one's lifestyle, taking a break from smoking cigarettes and joints, and drinking alcohol and using other drugs, can help set your baby up for a long, healthy life.

When you are high, your fetus is high. Doing any drugs while pregnant is irresponsible.