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hxyume/Getty Images A new study showed that the combined use of cannabis and nicotine during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity.
Experts explained that it’s best to steer clear of both substances while pregnant.
It is important to raise awareness that just because cannabis may be legal in some states, it does not mean it is safe during pregnancy.
A new study found that using both cannabis and nicotine products during pregnancy was linked with a greater risk of maternal and neonatal morbidity compared with using just one substance. This included infant and neonatal death, infants small for gestational age, and preterm birth.
The findings were published in JAMA Network Open .
Researchers examined data on pregnant individuals with singleton gestations and gestational ages of 23 to 42 weeks from the California Department of Health Care Access and Information and the California Department of Public Health.
“The most compelling aspect of this study was the increased rate of infant death with co-use, which was four times higher in users of cannabis and nicotine combined compared with nonusers, and nearly two times higher compared with users of either cannabis or nicotine alone,” the study’s corresponding author, Jamie Lo, M.D., M.C.R., told Healthline.
“This information helps inform patient counseling where ideally patients would abstain from using cannabis and nicotine during pregnancy, but for those who are unable to, even avoiding the use of one of these substances can reduce the pregnancy risks that we see when nicotine and cannabis are used together.”Lo added: “Next steps are to look at the impact of dose, timing (i.e, which trimester), frequency, and mode of cannabis delivery or tobacco-product used on maternal and offspring outcomes. In addition, it would be important to see what longer-term offspring impacts are associated with cannabis and nicotine co-use.” The dangers of using cannabis and nicotine products during pregnancy According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse , cannabis is associated with diminished fetal neurological function.In addition, one study found that nicotine affects how the placenta functions, which interferes with the fetus […]
Cannabis and Nicotine Use During Pregnancy Tied to Higher Infant Death Risk
