Although medical cannabis is now allowed in more than three-dozen states, the amount of collective knowledge we have about marijuana’s medical efficacy pales in comparison to so many other drugs. Studies, like one recently released by the University of Utah, have yet to give us a clear picture of efficacy versus potential harm.
This particular study found a link between unhealthy pregnancy outcomes and cannabis consumption. It would appear as though using cannabis during pregnancy increases the chances of a variety of issues ranging from stillbirth to medically induced preterm birth. This sort of thing does not always sit well with pro-cannabis activists. But ignoring the clinical data is not wise.
Finding the Right Balance
Studies like the one out of University Utah Health underscore the true dilemma with medical marijuana: the need to find the right balance between medical efficacy and unnecessary risk. For example, there is little doubt that chronic pain patients relying on cannabis to control their pain report positive outcomes. But what do you do with medical cannabis if you are a chronic pain patient and also pregnant?
There are not any easy answers. One thing we can say for sure is that more research is warranted. The time for political debate has long since passed with so many states having decriminalized both recreational marijuana and medical cannabis. It is time we get real about the fact that cannabis in both forms is here to stay. Now, how can we move forward to maximize both medical efficacy and general safety?
What Researchers Determined
University Utah Health’s study was not the first looking into cannabis consumption among pregnant women. What made it unique was its incredibly large size. Researchers enrolled more than 9,000 pregnant women from across the U.S. Researchers also say they utilized more accurate ways of measuring cannabis exposure. They say their measurements allowed them to “distinguish the effects of cannabis itself from those caused by other correlated health conditions.”
Researchers discovered that cannabis exposure was linked to a 50% higher risk in unhealthy pregnancy outcomes. Some 26% of the study participants exposed to cannabis experienced such an outcome. Only 17% of those not exposed to cannabis experienced an unhealthy outcome.
Making the study even more interesting is the fact that not all the patients were studied in Utah. In fact, participants hailed from eight different medical centers across the country. In addition, researchers did not rely exclusively on self-reporting as most other studies have. Instead, they measured THC metabolites in participant urine samples.
Doctors and Medical Cannabis Recommendations
Taking the research data to its logical conclusion leads us to the doctors and advanced practice nurses who make medical cannabis recommendations. In Utah, the operators of the dispensary in Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy say that any doctor, advanced practice nurse, or orthopedist with prescribing authority can recommend medical marijuana Utah for one of the conditions on the state’s qualifying conditions list.
Do such healthcare professionals consider pregnancy as a potential risk before making a recommendation? Only they can answer that question. It is quite possible that medical providers would vary in their opinions. But with research clearly linking cannabis consumption with unhealthy pregnancy outcomes, it would seem that medical providers would have reason to be cautious.
Unfortunately, the news regarding pregnancy and cannabis exposure is not good. Until we know for sure exactly how cannabis affects pregnancy, the best course of action is a cautious one. It does not make a lot of sense to engage in any kind of behavior that could lead to potential problems – either during pregnancy or after birth.
