Overview
Harmful patterns of cannabis use, particularly during the prenatal period, are associated with significant risks to fetal development. Maternal exposure is linked to an increased incidence of various structural birth defects in offspring 1.Special Populations
Pregnancy: Maternal prenatal cannabis use is associated with a higher risk of a wide range of structural birth defects in exposed offspring 1.
Offspring: Prenatal exposure increases the risk of specific organ system malformations, including:
* Central nervous system defects (OR 2.87) 1.
* Gastrointestinal defects (OR 2.42) 1.
* Genitourinary defects (OR 2.39) 1.
* Cardiovascular/heart defects (OR 2.35) 1.Key Recommendations
Maternal prenatal cannabis use should be avoided to reduce the risk of structural birth defects, including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, central nervous system, and genitourinary anomalies 1. (Evidence: Strong)References
1 Tadesse AW, Ayano G, Dachew BA, Tusa BS, Damtie Y, Betts K et al.. The association between prenatal cannabis use and congenital birth defects in offspring: A cumulative meta-analysis. Neurotoxicology and teratology 2024. link