Expecting moms must stay away from marijuana: It can lead to sleep disorders in their kids and more

Prenatal cannabis use may lead to developmental problems in children and also impact sleep cycles in the long run. Read on to know more.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Published: July 4, 2020 5:50 pm

Many studies have also shown that babies born to women who used marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli, increased trembling, and a high-pitched cry. @Shutterstock

Marijuana use while pregnant increases the chance of developing childhood sleeping problems as much as a decade later, warn researchers. Published in Sleep Health: The Journal of The National Sleep Foundation, the study is the latest to link prenatal cannabis use to developmental problems in children and the first to suggest it may impact sleep cycles long-term. Also Read - Pregnancy may make you susceptible to urinary tract infections: Avoid this condition naturally

According to researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder in the US, mothers who said they smoked cannabis while pregnant were significantly more likely to report their children having clinical sleep problems. For the purpose of the study, researchers analysed baseline data from the landmark Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which is following 11,875 youth from age 9 or 10 into early adulthood. Also Read - Are you an expecting mom? Follow our tips for a healthy pregnancy

Extensive survey to establish pattern

As part of an exhaustive questionnaire upon intake, participants’ mothers were asked if they had ever used marijuana while pregnant and how frequently. The mothers were also asked to fill out a survey regarding their child’s sleep patterns, assessing 26 different items ranging from how easily they fell asleep and how long they slept to whether they snored or woke up frequently in the night and how sleepy they were during the day. About 700 moms reported using marijuana while pregnant. Of those, 184 used it daily and 262 used twice or more daily. After controlling for a host of other factors, including the mother’s education, parent marital status and family income and race, a clear pattern emerged. Also Read - A pregnancy guide on how to prevent swelling and puffiness

Children may face the problem of excessive sleepiness

Those who used marijuana frequently were more likely to report somnolence symptoms (symptoms of excess sleepiness) in their children, such as trouble waking in the morning and being excessively tired during the day. In other previous work of the same researchers, they found that teenagers who frequently smoked marijuana were more likely to develop insomnia in adulthood. While the current study doesn’t prove that using cannabis while pregnant causes sleep problems, it builds on a small but growing body of evidence pointing to a link.

However, researchers aren’t sure exactly how cannabis exposure during vulnerable developmental times might shape future sleep. But studies in animals suggest that THC and other so-called cannabinoids, the active ingredients in pot, attach to CB1 receptors in the developing brain, influencing regions that regulate sleep, the authors noted.

Other adverse effects of marijuana use during pregnancy

According to healthcare professionals, marijuana use during pregnancy may increase your risk of many complications including low birth weight and small head circumference. It may also induce premature birth and increase the risk of stillbirth. Though no human research connects marijuana use to the chance of miscarriage, some animal studies indicate that the risk for miscarriage increases if marijuana is used in early pregnancy. Some experts also associate marijuana use during pregnancy with future developmental and hyperactivity disorders in children. Many studies have also shown that babies born to women who used marijuana during their pregnancies display altered responses to visual stimuli, increased trembling, and a high-pitched cry, which may point at neurological problems.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : July 4, 2020 5:50 pm

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