pot during pregnancy

[sewcool]

ok or a bad idea tell me why



this is not for me by the way i have a friend doing it and i have told her that i dont agree with it but i also wanted to back it up a bit, so i thought id ask to see what u all think

[MaerynPearl]

As far as I know there have been no studies to show whether or not its use is safe... and I do not trust anecdotal evidence such as... oh I did it and nothing happened... because many women smoke cigarettes in pregnancy and nothing happens. I smoked for 2 months and it contributed a placental abruption that nearly cost my sons life.

Unless you need it for medicinal purposes, its one of those things I would just avoid to be on the safe side, because you don't know what effects it may have on the baby.

[YummyYumYumMama]

look up articles by melanie dreher, RN, PhD, FAAN. she conducted some very interesting studies on marijuana and pregnancy in jamaica. you can find more information here. some midwives recommend it for nausea! not to say that i'm necessarily advocating it - just that many women do it with no ill effects to themselves or the babies. there's an article somewhere on mothering about a woman who used it for hyperemesis gravidum (super super super bad nausea during pregnancy) successfully.

but as with anything you put in your body during pregnancy, it's basically a risk/benefit analysis, because the fewer drugs you have in your system, the better it is for your baby, since baby's getting them through the placenta. the less you expose them to during this fragile time, the better. but if your options are to be super stressed out, or sick all the time, or whatever else it can help, that's not great for the baby either. based on a lot of research studies by a lot of universities since the 1930s, they haven't REALLY found anything really bad that happens. of course, it's always wise to have a "better safe than sorry" approach if you don't feel you truly need it. but barfing all day long, losing weight from nausea/inability to keep food down, or constant stress/anxiety have proven ill effects to your baby, whereas weed doesn't. so... yeah.

[ivymae]

There's no conclusive studies either way (and there won't be, for the same reason there are not studies on most medications for pregnant women - it's unethical to run studies on fetuses) but I think the common sense response is that if you need it for medicinal purposes, try to consume it in food form, so you are not restricting your oxygen by smoking anything. I think recreational use is irresponsible, since it is an illegal substance and I value my intact family more than a hobby, BUT I also have major issues with the fact that it could really aide many people as a medication and is prohibited. My midwife is not against using it for extreme nausea/anxiety, but she also has no way to dose it or aide her clients in obtaining it, so it's scary for everyone involved, since there is no control over the product.

[dinahx]

Combustion of any type during pregnancy is harmful. Cannabis has better safety data on it than any other anti-emetic commonly perscribed during pregnancy (zofran, phenergan, reglan) (long term longitudinal study).

Mothering has done an article regarding safe use for the treatment of Hyperemisis Gravidium. Bottom line, vaporizing & tincture are the safer routes of admin. Cannabis has not been shown to be contraindicated in pregnancy.

However, all that being said, it stays in the system for a veeeery long time, it is illegal in some states, some doctors test you & the baby, and there is a tremendous amount of misinformation, ignorance, and judgement you
may be setting yourself up for. If the baby tests positive at delivery, you may receive a visit from a social worker and be required to participate in programs. It is exxxxtremely unlikely you would have your parental rights threatened over simple cannabis use, but in my state the class costs 1200, so it could be a financial bummer.

[CorasMama]

Dinahx, do you have information on that study? I'd love to be able to use it medicinally if A) I could find safety info, and B) it wouldn't threaten my family legally. I have bad RLS, chronic pain, and borderline HG, and I hate that it all has to be treated with meds that make me somewhat uncomfortable, or alternately, 1000mg SuckItUp. If there were something with better safety AND efficacy, that'd totally make my day!

[bjorker]

Originally Posted by CorasMama

Dinahx, do you have information on that study? I'd love to be able to use it medicinally if A) I could find safety info, and B) it wouldn't threaten my family legally. I have bad RLS, chronic pain, and borderline HG, and I hate that it all has to be treated with meds that make me somewhat uncomfortable, or alternately, 1000mg SuckItUp. If there were something with better safety AND efficacy, that'd totally make my day!

More anecdotal...
I have a friend who used it for Hyperemesis with better results than all of the regulated meds. Her midwife and assistant did a bunch of research for her and came up with nothing that concerned either one of them. If you want the name of the midwife (she works very close to us), lmk.

As for legality, that's really tricky, even if you manage to get medicinal use approved. Personally I'd be more concerned about that, though if it were me I'd still definitely entertain the idea.

[CorasMama]

Thanks, bjorker, but the legality issue is really a deal-breaker for me. In no small part because, all things considered, I don't feel comfortable taking anything I can't tell my perinatologist about. There are just too many things going on for hiding a medication from her to be a good idea, yk?

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

As far as I know there have been no studies to show whether or not its use is safe... and I do not trust anecdotal evidence such as... oh I did it and nothing happened... because many women smoke cigarettes in pregnancy and nothing happens. I smoked for 2 months and it contributed a placental abruption that nearly cost my sons life.

Unless you need it for medicinal purposes, its one of those things I would just avoid to be on the safe side, because you don't know what effects it may have on the baby.

Totally agree.

Originally Posted by dinahx

Combustion of any type during pregnancy is harmful. Cannabis has better safety data on it than any other anti-emetic commonly perscribed during pregnancy (zofran, phenergan, reglan) (long term longitudinal study).

Mothering has done an article regarding safe use for the treatment of Hyperemisis Gravidium. Bottom line, vaporizing & tincture are the safer routes of admin. Cannabis has not been shown to be contraindicated in pregnancy.

However, all that being said, it stays in the system for a veeeery long time, it is illegal in some states, some doctors test you & the baby, and there is a tremendous amount of misinformation, ignorance, and judgement you
may be setting yourself up for. If the baby tests positive at delivery, you may receive a visit from a social worker and be required to participate in programs. It is exxxxtremely unlikely you would have your parental rights threatened over simple cannabis use, but in my state the class costs 1200, so it could be a financial bummer.

I have read one article in mothering on cannabis use during pregnancy (not sure how many there have been). The part I didn't get was that the article talked about "medical marijuana" but then the author's "friend" would bring it over to her..

Um, if your "friend" is bringing it over, how do you know where it came from really? Illegal grow operations are inundated with heat and moisture in tight locked up spaces.. it is a mold growing factory, really. Grow operations will set up camp whereever they think they won't get busted.. mining caves, basements, crawlspaces, (these are ones I have read about recently where I live but I am sure it varies by location) etc.. sorry but there is very little that I would "consume" that could be covered in mold/pesticides/etc in that way.

[dinahx]

It certainly varies by location. Also, if I may say so, real conisuers could tell quality as easily as with wine or gourmet food. I love it when people think you can taste chemicals on an apple or mold in wine, but not with herbal medicine. People actually do know growers, get facility/farm tours etc in real life. Not me, but . . .

PP who asked, the longitudinal study was done by the RN/PhD mentioned earlier in this thread. I have definitely heard of mainstream Medical Providers approving use for HG, but admitedly, it is rare. However, if they did take an honest look at the science and could not worry about the rest of the 'establishment' they would have to agree.

[dinahx]

look up articles by melanie dreher, RN, PhD, FAAN. she conducted some very interesting studies on marijuana and pregnancy in jamaica. you can find more information here

^from post above.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by dinahx

Also, if I may say so, real conisuers could tell quality as easily as with wine or gourmet food. I love it when people think you can taste chemicals on an apple or mold in wine, but not with herbal medicine. People actually do know growers, get facility/farm tours etc in real life.

I knew some people in my much younger years.. and they had plenty of "business" and no complaints, but seriously- disgusting. Some customers had been smoking since the 60s, so one would THINK they would know what is good or not.. and I am not talking specifically about being able to see mold on the product, but in the growing environment, walls, soil, air, etc.. I still think that all that stuff affects it from the inside.. chemical makeup and all. I feel it necessary to mention all the cats as well.. ew.

And yeah, their customers trusted them, but then no one gives tours. I guess that's what happens in a clandestine trade.

[dinahx]

But I have to guess you haven't toured any overseas pharmacuetical facilities. Just sayin, there is less quality control there than you'd think. I am not arguing that it is imperative on pregnant women to be discerning with all types of medicine, however, I mean preggos pop tums (loaded with aluminum) and accept thimerisol flu shots too. I would assert that potential quality control issues lurk everywhere and are not at all limited to herbal products. Plants, as living things, actually demand more of a healthy environment than say, chemicals, but I would definitely suggest that anyone know the source & ingredients of their medicine and food, etc.

[Pinoikoi]

Originally Posted by dinahx

But I have to guess you haven't toured any overseas pharmacuetical facilities. Just sayin, there is less quality control there than you'd think.

Actually I try to buy locally whenever I can, and within the US at least.. so I don't doubt how bad quality control is overseas.. and there are actually several countries I have lived overseas, so I am not completely ignorant about the situation..

that said, anyone can tour what was once a grow house in the US.. the houses are often close to condemned (after they are seized).. and if they are put on the market or sold at auction.. it is with loads of "disclosures" or "as is"... the mold issues are usually pretty bad, and I think is a pretty common situation for those kinds of houses..

I used to work for an auction company years and years ago.. and the fed auctions were ALWAYS interesting.

My point is, that the articles I have read talk about "medical marijuana" but that is a different set of standards than what a lot of people get, imho, and that is comparing apples to oranges. When I have seen posts talking about "oh, I only buy from people I trust..." it just makes me shake my head.. clandestine operations are about making money- I don't think very many people do that for the betterment of society.. they want to be paid and not get caught.

[ivymae]

I think the exception to the rule is in states where medical marijuana is legal, and people are allowed to grow X number of plants. Many people in my area have an uncle or cousin who grows for their own personal use, and who does not sell in the traditional sense, but are willing to share with someone who can not get their card or who only needs short term supply (HG as an example). The risk to them is that they can lose their license, so if they DO really need their plants they are very picky about who they would share with. If they are giving it away willynilly, or selling it for profit, I would guess they do not value/need their card, and I would consider them pretty shady. That's not to say that this cannabis would be 'safe', but it would be a level above buying it from your cousin's girlfriend, who gets it from a guy she knows in her history class.

[dmpmercury]

Does anyone have a better link for the Jamaica study? It doesn't say anything about sample size etc. It also said that culturally at the time women took it in tea form more often than smoking it and smoking it was just starting to be acceptable but only for some women. I'm just curious because it seems to be the only study out there. She says she used good research controls but it doesn't go into them in that article. Isn't the potency different now to than in the 70s.

I personally wouldn't use it during pregnancy or breastfeeding because it stays in your system so long and I wouldn't want to risk that since it is illegal. It also might show up in the babies system. I saw them testing babies diapers in the hospital I gave birth in. They were probably testing babies that seemed to be going through withdrawal not just any baby but still.

There just doesn't seem to be very many studies and I don't trust ancedotal stuff.

[maybe4babies]

I haven't thought about this in a long time but i do know that there were serious problems witht he Jaimaica study. For example, the women in Jaimaica who were likely to use marijuina were more likely to be middle or upper middle class women. There were socioeconomic factors that were not properly accounted for in the study.

Pot doesn't work for everyone with hg. It didn't work for me. i only had it with my last pregnancy and i was so desperate to eat and stay out of the hospital that i tried it with a vaporizer and it amde me hungry but i still puked my guts out.

And your parental rights absolutley can be threatened if you test positive for marijuana. My mother was a social worker for thirty years, just quit last year, and testing positive is enough to open an investigation in my state and how that investigation goes depends a lot ofn the social worker and teh judge if one gets involved. I remember her telling mea bout one woman who was ordered to not breastfeed after testing positive for marijuana after the birth of her child. her midwife reported her after smelling pot when she showed up for the birth. My mom totally disagreed with what happened, but she had to enforce the laws.

Anyway, there are a lot of reasons to not smoke pot while pregnant. I'm not convinced it's terrible for the baby, well i don't think you should actually smoke it because it reduces blood flow to the fetus, but legally it's not worth it to me personally. And even if you aren't reported, you could be tested aftrer a car accident, an accident at work, any number of reasons. It's a lot more risky than people think until somehting bad happens.

[liz-hippymom]

http://www.schizophrenia.com/hypo.php
i was just reading this yesterday, and they link MJ use to higher incidences of schizophrenia.
plus , as a foster parent, i must point out that - yes they will open an investigation and possible take away your baby if you test positive. and if the baby tests positive, they will take it into foster care.
that is enough reason for most sane people-

[MammaB21]

Originally Posted by Pinoikoi

I knew some people in my much younger years.. and they had plenty of "business" and no complaints, but seriously- disgusting. Some customers had been smoking since the 60s, so one would THINK they would know what is good or not.. and I am not talking specifically about being able to see mold on the product, but in the growing environment, walls, soil, air, etc.. I still think that all that stuff affects it from the inside.. chemical makeup and all. I feel it necessary to mention all the cats as well.. ew.

And yeah, their customers trusted them, but then no one gives tours. I guess that's what happens in a clandestine trade.

I just wanted to point out that maybe their customers just didn't care. I think dinahx's point was just that it is possible to get better quality, and most regular users should know the difference. In my younger years, I knew plenty of people who would have loved to get the best of the best every time they bought. But money didn't always permit, and sometimes they settled. It's not that they didn't know they were getting below par quality, just that they excepted it because of what they would need to do to get better quality.

As far as using while pregnant, personally I think there are much worse things a pregnant woman could do. But the fact that it's illegal would have me too paranoid to partake. I'm not willing to risk the legal consequences that may ensue.

[JoanCrawford]

Anything foreign in the very first stages of development of an infant can be detrimental. They need the most natural and pure environment possible - remember, they're being made of the stuff in YOUR body. If you're polluting yourself, you're polluting your baby.

I'd point out that marijuana has carcinogens in it if they still don't budge.