Cannabinoids pregnancy

Cannabinoids are teratogenic and should be avoided during pregnancy. Cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with lower gestational age... 

Children of women addicted to opiates, cannabinoids or alcohol or chronically treated with benzodiazepines during pregnancy are often born with withdrawal symptoms, and/or show retarded behavior and various other abnormalities when growing up. Therefore, relatively extensive research has been performed in this field. Animal studies have shown that behavioral abnormalities found in laboratory animals treated prenatally with these substances extended well into adulthood (ref. 8). For instance, children... 

The association of marijuana use with outcome of pregnancy. Am.J. Public Health 73, 1161-1164. Mackie, K. (2008). Cannabinoid receptors Where they are and what they do. J. Neuroendocrinol. 20(Suppl. 1), 10-14. 

The significance of transfer of cannabinoids into human breast milk depends on whether it occurs at levels sufficient to elicit physiological or behavioral effects in a nursing infant. Comprehensive development studies of the infants of mothers using cannabis during pregnancy and/or lactation are required. Such studies are now in progress. (14). 

Adverse effects of cannabinoids, and in particular of THC, on reproductive functions include retarded embryo development, foetal loss and pregnancy failure. They have been known for a long time (Geber and Schramm 1969 Kolodney et al. 1974 Das et al. 1995 Ness et al. 1999), and were recently reviewed (Paria and Dey 2000 Maccarrone et al. 2002). 

In animal models, the consumption of marijuana or other Cannabis sativa derivatives during pregnancy and/or lactation affects the neurobehavioral development of their litters. The cannabinoids present in these preparations modify the maturation of neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, serotonin, and opioids and their related-behaviors (Fernandez-Ruiz et al. 1999, 2000). 

With regard to the possible influence of cannabis use during human pregnancy, CBi receptor immunoreactive labeling has been identified in most major cell types throughout all layers of the human placenta, as well as in the placental villous (Park et al. 2003). Thus, it is not surprising that increased cannabinoid levels may interfere with the materno-fetal process. 

Dennedy MC, Friel AM, Houlihan DD, Broderick VM, Smith T, Morrison JJ. 2004. Cannabinoids and the human uterus during pregnancy. Am J Obstet Gynecol 190 2-9. 

---