However, preliminary research suggests the opposite: marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, can cross the placenta and reach the fetus which could cause damage to the brain and cognitive development as well as the baby’s weight at birth.
This would mean that the younger expectant mothers are prone to marijuana use: about 7.5 percent of those who are between 18 and 25 years old said they had used marijuana during the past month in 2014, compared to 2 percent of those who use marijuana. Women between 26 and 44 years old.
The evidence on the effects of prenatal marijuana use is still considered limited and even sometimes contradictory.
A large number of studies have found changes in the brain of fetuses, from 18 to 22 weeks of gestation, linked to the maternal consumption of marijuana. Thus, In male fetuses that were exposed, researchers have noticed an abnormal functioning of the amygdala, the part of the brain that regulates emotions.
“Even at the beginning of development, marijuana causes changes in important circuits and neurotransmission receptors,” said Yasmin Hurd, a neuroscientist and director of the Addiction Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Manhattan.
“These are important for the regulation of emotions and reward, and even for motor and cognitive functions.”
Currently, it is well documented that the brains of adolescents can be altered by regular marijuana use; it can potentially decrease the IQ.
According to reliable sources, long-term effects on children of Cannabis using mothers are less researched but the studies that are out there showing 3, 10 and 14-year-old children showed a harder time learning and increased aggression. Cannabis use on the developing brain of a child has been shown to have negative effects later in life.
The term these studies keep using is “heavy Cannabis use” the key word there being “heavy”. While overall I do not agree with Cannabis use during pregnancy, I do not see risks involved with occasional use if it helps the mother relieve stress which can be equally damaging to the fetus or help with morning sickness and appetite.
Also, you have to keep in mind that in America, you run the risk of losing your child all together to child protection services if they suspect or see that you have been using Cannabis.
Bottom line is, based on various studies and personal experiences, Cannabis use has been proven not nearly as damaging as alcohol, cigarettes or other hard drugs. However, do not think it is worth putting your child at risk even if the studies are not definitive.
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