Doctors have warned women not to smoke cannabis during pregnancy after a landmark study found those who do face double the average risk of going into labour prematurely.
The news comes despite a growing belief among young people that cannabis is harmless because it is ‘natural’ and may have medicinal properties.
In the US, cannabis ‘dispensaries’ even recommend the drug to combat morning sickness.
But now Canadian researchers have found that cannabis use during pregnancy is linked to a much higher possibility of a premature birth – putting the baby at serious risk.
The study found that almost one in eight women who smoked cannabis while pregnant delivered before 37 weeks, which is classed as premature. In contrast, the chance of a premature birth for women who avoided the drug was just one in 17.
Those who used cannabis in pregnancy were also more likely to suffer a serious complication called placental abruption, during which the placenta separates from the wall of the womb. The condition can be fatal for the unborn child.
In addition, the babies of cannabis smokers were more likely to require care on a neonatal ward, according to the research, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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