In Utero Exposure to Cannabis Tied to Worse Neonatal Outcomes

FRIDAY, Dec. 8, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- In utero cannabis exposure is associated with an increased likelihood of adverse neonatal outcomes, according to a study published online Nov. 26 in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Lyndsay A. Avalos, Ph.D., from Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland, and colleagues examined associations between in utero cannabis exposure and adverse neonatal outcomes. The analysis included 364,924 singleton births among Kaiser Permanente Northern California members (Jan. 1, 2011, to July 31, 2020).

The researchers found that 6.2 percent of infants were exposed to cannabis in utero. When adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., in utero exposure to other substances), in utero exposure to cannabis was associated greater odds of low birth weight (LBW; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.20; 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 1.28), small for gestational age (SGA; aOR, 1.24; 95 percent CI, 1.18 to 1.30), preterm birth (<37 weeks; aOR, 1.06; 95 percent CI, 1.00 to 1.13), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (aOR, 1.06; 95 percent CI, 1.01 to 1.11). There was a trend observed toward early preterm birth (<34 weeks; aOR, 1.11; 95 percent CI, 1.00 to 1.23; P = 0.055), but no significant association was seen with respiratory support (aOR, 1.07; 95 percent CI, 0.97 to 1.18). There was an increasing likelihood of LBW and SGA seen with increasing frequency of prenatal cannabis use by the pregnant person.

"Clinicians should counsel individuals who are pregnant or considering pregnancy about the potential adverse neonatal health outcomes associated with prenatal cannabis use," the authors write.

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