Cannabis Use During Pregnancy May Be Associated with Higher Autism Risk in the Fetus
According to the data collected, the incidence of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was 4 per 1,000 people among children exposed to cannabis in utero, compared to 2.42 among unexposed children.
Published on 11/27/2020
Canadian mothers who used cannabis during pregnancy were slightly more likely to give birth to a child diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, according to a new study. However, an expert warned against drawing conclusions of causality.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, conducted a retrospective analysis of all live births in Ontario, Canada, between April 1, 2007, and March 31, 2012, focusing on child neurodevelopmental outcomes. Researchers found that the incidence of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis was 4 per 1,000 people among children exposed to cannabis in utero, compared to 2.42 among unexposed children.
“This is an interesting first step, but more work is needed to implicate maternal cannabis use specifically in autism risk,” said Danielle Fallin, director of the Wendy King Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in an email to NBC News.
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Researchers stated they found “an association between maternal cannabis use during pregnancy and the incidence of autism spectrum disorder in offspring.” For intellectual disability and learning disorders, the researcher noted a higher incidence, although less statistically robust.
“There are cannabinoid receptors present in the developing fetus, and cannabis exposure may affect the wiring of the developing brain,” said the study's lead author, Daniel Corsi, to NBC.
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In recent years, several studies have observed an increase in cannabis use among pregnant mothers, particularly in jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized. A study published in May 2020 found that cannabis use during pregnancy increased from 6% of mothers before legalization in California to 11% after legalization.
A study conducted in Canada found that after the legalization of the plant in the country, the prevalence of cannabis use during pregnancy increased from 1.2% in 2012 to 1.8% in 2017. A similar trend was found in a study conducted in the U.S., which found that from 2002 to 2014, cannabis use among adult pregnant women in the U.S. increased from 2.4% to 3.9%.
Although cannabis is sometimes recommended by dispensary workers as a remedy for morning sickness, many doctors warn against its use during pregnancy. In January 2020, California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment added cannabis and THC smoke to its list of "natural and synthetic chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects or other reproductive harm."
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Meanwhile, a meta-analysis conducted in 2016 found that exposure to THC during pregnancy resulted in lower birth weight and a higher chance of admission to a neonatal unit.
Although doctors have advised against cannabis use during pregnancy, there is promising research to determine if it may be an effective treatment for children with autism.
