Can Marijuana cause birth defects?

Does anyone know the effects of pot on a baby if it is used during the pregnancy?

I ask because I was discussing pot with my mom the other day and she said that she and my dad used to smoke it a LOT, and she smoked it while she was pregnant with me too. She was saying that she has always wondered if it was her smoking pot that caused the birth defect in my inner ears, which caused me to eventually go completely deaf.

If any of you think I would get better answers in a different forum, let me know which one. I figured Parenting would be the best choice since there are a lot of pregnancy-knowledgable mommas here.

 

....i don't know from first-hand experience, but i know a few mommas who continued to smoke pot while they were pregnant, and their kids turned out just fine.....

 

The only defect due to smoking cannabis during pregnancy that I have heard of, is asthma. I smoked cannabis through out my pregnancy with my doctor's blessing. It helped with my insomnia, morning sickness, back pain and migraines. My daughter is now 9 years old, with no health problems. She is extemely healthy, has had antibiotics once when she was 2, for an ear infection. That was the only time she has been to a doctor, except for her annual check ups.

 

Okay, I may be in the minority here, but I definitely don't think it's a wise thing to do during pregnancy, and personally, I feel it's not very responsible, as you're talking about affecting another little life (or lives!) there and I would have never done that while expecting my little ones. The mere thought is outrageous to me. The way I saw it when I was expecting was that I was to provide the most healthy environment for my growing babies, and I wouldn't do anything whatsoever that I thought might be harmful to them. I never even wanted to take Iburprofen for pain, because I figured my mind was more powerful than the pain, and even if I might have to muddle through it, it was better than wondering if it could possibly affect my child.

It's not just an issue with it being marijuana, more just the fact that you are inhaling smoke, and it's definitely a well-known fact that smoking during pregnancy isn't a good thing to do. Why subject your unborn child to that? How can there be a just cause for it? A legitimate reason? My pregnancies were far from peachy, especially with my twins, and believe me, I was miserable, but I survived. My children's health was much more important than my discomfort. It's only 9 months of not being able to do everything you might prefer to do on a regular basis, and what is 9 months to sacrifice? It's gone in the blink of an eye.

That doesn't mean that I look down upon the mothers who may have been smoking cannabis or cigarettes while pregnant. I wonder why they chose to do so, and how they were able to do it without guilt or worry about their unborn child but we all believe different things I suppose.

Peace.

 

I think it might have something to do with that. Just because the fact that she was smoking at all during pregnancy. But if I was pregnant, I wouldn't smoke anything until the baby was born just to be on the safe side.

 

I don't believe it would cause an inner-ear birth defect, but I agree with hippiechickiemommie that a pregnant woman shouldn't get high. Why take the chance? If you're pregnant you should try to eat a healthy diet, take your vitamins, etc. Do everything you can to ensure that your baby is healthy as possible at birth.

 

My mom smoked weed while she was pregnant with me, and look how good I turned out!

 

I work in drug rehab and I have researched this extensively. The only birth defects that are caused by marijuana smoke are the same problems that come with smoking anything. Carbon Monoxide is bad for anyone, especially that little one inside. Everytime you inhale, your baby inhales also. I would say, no marijuana does not cause birth defects. But smoking any substance is harmful to the baby. That said, I will also say that sometimes the benefits outweigh the damage. Women with severe morning sickness or insomnia issues can benefit from a little smoke now and then. It can also help the woman relax during labor.

Kathi

 

I don't think it can cause anything. Rastafarians smoke pot all the time, and their babies are just fine.

 

At the very least, smoking pot while pregnant can have the same effects as smoking cigarettes while pregnant. Low birthweight, premature birth, etc. Once the baby is born he/she can go through withdrawals includiing sleeplessness, convulsing, and excessive crying. Also evidence that shows that smokin' while pregnant can and does lead to learning disorders and behavorial problems later in life.

My own opinion is that if you're gonna be so selfish as to not be willing to give it up for 9 months out of your life, then you're way too selfish to be having a child.

 

I was telling my husband about how several people on here don't seem to think that my mom smoking pot when she was pregnant with me is what caused the birth defect in my inner ears, and he said that he didn't think so either, and neither does drinking or smoking (as long as it's not a LOT of drinking and smoking). He said that a long time ago everyone smoked and drank while pregnant and most babies turned out fine anyway, that the media only focused on the ones who didn't turn out ok. I don't know if I agree with his viewpoints, but I do have a hard time believing the pot use is what caused my birth defect.

 

My personal opinion is, why take the chance? It's not worth it when it comes to a child.

Now that I've said that, the one time I might say it would be ok, is when it might help with SEVERE morning sickness where the choice is that and the potentionally more harmful nausea drugs that dr's sometimes give. I had such severe morning sickness with both of my kids, that it became a real concern. I had to go to the hospital and was at risk for terrible dehydration, malnutrition, etc. They wanted to give me an anti-nausea drug and I refused and said I would go home and try everything possible to keep food and water down, but I would not take anything unless it was an absolutely necessary and my childs health was at risk.
In cases like that where the side-effects would probably be worse w/the prescribed drug and where pot might help, then I would be in favor of it. But hopefully not as a long-term solution.

 

i remember this topic came up before. brighid quoted a study done in jamaica on pot smoking during pregnancy.she would be the one to ask, but i do remember the study found that pot smoking wasn't linked to any birth defects.

i still wouldn't smoke during pregnancy though, that's just my choice. i think it's just the idea of parenting (or becoming a parent) and getting intentionally intoxicated, it just doesn't seem right to me. too many responsibilities to be going out and getting messed up, right? kathi made some good points though, there are exceptions.

drinking during pregnancy is not a good idea, in my opinion. look at all the fetal alcohol syndrome kids around these days. probably in the old days kids were just labelled as 'slow' before they knew about FAS.

kathy

 

I imagine directly inhaling something that is not oxygen may cause some developemental problems. Especially if it's constant. Because we are really just meant to breath oxygen, which is one of the reasons sniffing glue kills brain cells. A joint here and there probably wouldn't harm the fetus, but if it's a constant thing, it may.

 

i can't see it causing any defects, but wouldn't you be causing the baby to get high as well? maybe not by smoking it - i forget how that works in your system, but by eating or drinking it?

 

As much as I don't agree with the smoking of anything during pregnancy, do I personally believe that your mother smoking marijuna while expecting is what caused your birth defect? More than likely not. It was probably more of a genetic "glitch", but I guess what I'm trying to say is I think it's a risky choice to make while pregnant, not it was what actually contributed to your hearing ailment.

Sorry if I went off on a rant. I just am very protective of my little ones, and could not have imagined putting them in a situation where they would be subjected to something such as that in my womb. In my eyes, it was my responsibilty to provide the absolute best environment in my womb during such a critical time of growth. JMHO.



Peace

 

This is WHOLELLY UNTRUE!!!! Babies of mothers who smoke mj do not go through "withdrawal symptoms, or convulsions, or even crying." You are thinking of heroin or crack, dude, FAR from the same thing.

I do not advocate mj smoking while pregnant. I totally avoided it during all my pregnancies. But I think there are a LOT worse things you can do while pregnant, (like eat at McDonalds all the time, for one.)

I've reviewed the evidence quite a few times, and there is no association between mj and deafness.

 

"This is WHOLELLY UNTRUE!!!! Babies of mothers who smoke mj do not go through "withdrawal symptoms, or convulsions, or even crying." You are thinking of heroin or crack, dude, FAR from the same thing."

He's probably thinking of some propaganda commercial he saw lol

I do not advocate mj smoking while pregnant. I totally avoided it during all my pregnancies. But I think there are a LOT worse things you can do while pregnant, (like eat at McDonalds all the time, for one.)

I know, right! I guess if the government says it's illegal it must be the worst thing you can do while pregnant *snort*

 

I wouldn't see any harm in it!!!

 

Please, please, please ladies, DO NOT DRINK ANYTHING while you are pregnant. MJ is probably not going to hurt your baby and it can help you through morning sickness and things like that. But alcohol is a totally different thing. Babies born addicted to drugs have severe withdrawal at times. But they outgrow almost all of the damage that is done from the drugs. Alcohol does permanent lifelong damage to the babies that they will never outgrow. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Effect, and Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder are serious lifelong problems. Some children will never be able to live by themselves or take care of themselves or function on their own, or raise families or anything. The biggest problem is no one knows how much alcohol is too much for that individual baby. I know one person who had one glass of wine during her pregnancy and her baby was damaged. Many of my clients drank like fishes every day and their babies are okay. Each baby is effected differently by the alcohol. There is no way of knowing how badly your baby will be effected. But the risk is just not worth it. We're talking permanent disability because of alcohol. I've seen so much of this in my job. I can't tell you enough how bad it is. Please don't drink while you're pregnant. Toke up if you need to, but don't drink. I would rather see a baby born on heroin than a baby born on alcohol.

Kathi (Social Worker in Drug Rehab)