A large Canadian study found an association between native use of cannabis during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder in infants.
The study, published Monday in Nature Medicine, included an analysis of all live births in Ontario from April 2007 to March 2012, before recreational cannabis was legalized in Canada. The study notes that cannabis use during pregnancy has increased.
Of the half a million women in the study, 3,000, or 0.6%, reported using cannabis during pregnancy, according to a press release from the hospital about the study.
Specifically, researchers found that women who used cannabis during pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism, per Forbes.
Women who used cannabis during pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism. (iStock)
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“The incidence of mental retardation and learning disabilities was higher among offspring of mothers who used cannabis during pregnancy, although less statistically robust,” the study’s authors wrote.
In a separate study conducted by the same researchers, they previously found that cannabis use in pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of premature birth. The women involved in that study often used other substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and opioids.
“In view of these findings, in the present study, the researchers looked specifically at 2200 women who reported that they only used cannabis during pregnancy, and no other substances. They found that babies born to this group still had an increased risk of had autism compared to those who do not use cannabis, “according to the press release.
However, the study had limits. Researchers do not know the amount of cannabis, the point at which women used cannabis during pregnancy, or how the cannabis was consumed.
Researchers emphasize caution in interpreting the results because, despite efforts to control for other factors, other variables may be at play. The study therefore shows association – not cause and effect.
However, the senior author of the study called the results “concerning.”
“This is because we know so little about how cannabis affects pregnant women and their babies,” said Dr. Mark Walker, head of the Obstetrics, Gynecology and Newborn Care Department at The Ottawa Hospital. the University of Ottawa and senior author on the study. “Parents who need to be should inform themselves of the potential risks, and we hope studies like ours can help.”
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