Does the breast milk of cannabis users harm premature babies?
Researchers revealed that breast milk contaminated with THC may not harm or pose risks to premature babies - at least in the short term
Curated and edited by Sechat, with information from Canex
According to a press release, many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) restrict the use of breast milk from women who test positive for THC, as THC passes through breast milk, with unknown effects.
However, science has shown that feeding these premature babies breast milk is one of the best ways to improve their outcomes and leads to fewer infections and intestinal problems, better brain growth, and overall better development compared to feeding them formula.
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The study summary, “Maternal Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Assessing Hospital Outcomes for Early Premature Infants,” which will be presented at the virtual National Conference and Exhibition of the American Academy of Pediatrics, analyzed medical records of 763 early premature infants from 2014 to 2020.
Researchers found that 17% of mothers tested positive for THC at the time of delivery.
Natalie L. Davis, the summary's author and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Assistant Neonatologist at the University of Maryland Children's Hospital, said:
Providing breast milk from women who test positive for THC to premature infants remains controversial, as the long-term effects of this exposure are unknown.
Natalie L. Davis
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“For this reason, we continue to strongly recommend that women avoid cannabis use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding their babies. Our study, however, provided some reassuring news in terms of short-term health effects.”
“It definitely indicates that more research is needed in this area to help provide more guidance to women and physicians.”
Researchers compared premature infants who received breast milk from THC-positive mothers with those who received formula or breast milk from THC-negative mothers and found no differences in short-term health impacts, such as respiratory difficulties, lung development, and feeding issues.
Overall, premature infants born to mothers who tested positive for cannabis at delivery were similarly healthy at the time of discharge when fed breast milk compared to those who did not receive breast milk from their mother.
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Dr. Davis added: “Determining the effects of THC can be very difficult to study.
“We found that women who tested positive for THC often delayed obtaining prenatal care, which may have a harmful effect on their baby separate from cannabis use. It is important to note this for future public health interventions.”