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Cannabis Use During Pregnancy Linked to Higher Risk of ADHD, Autism in Children

Mothers who use cannabis are also more likely to use other substances associated with behavioral and developmental disorders.


What impact does cannabis have on an unborn child?


For years, research delving into the question has produced mixed results, but a new Australian meta-analysis of 14 studies on over 200,000 participants indicates that prenatal cannabis exposure is likely associated with a higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in children. The results of the analysis were published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research and suggest the importance of prevention and early intervention to avoid exposing unborn children to cannabis.

“We found offspring exposed to prenatal cannabis had an increasing risk of ADHD symptoms and/or disorders and ASD compared to non-exposed,” the research team wrote. The team noted that exactly how prenatal cannabis exposure leads to an increased risk of ADHD symptoms or autism isn’t fully understood. Animal-based studies suggest that prenatal cannabis exposure directly alters neurodevelopment, especially in the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with cognitive impairment and emotion regulation. In human studies, researchers believe that delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in cannabis, can cross the placenta and fetal blood-brain barrier. When this happens, it can disrupt fetal neurodevelopment, mirroring the results of the rodent studies.


“Furthermore, neurodevelopmental data in humans suggested that prenatal exposure to THC may lead to subtle, persistent alterations in behavioral, cognition and psychological well-being,” the research team wrote. Other research has pointed to the impact of cannabis exposure during the first trimester, the researchers added. Many heritable formations occur during the first trimester, and it is during this period, researchers believe, that children have an increased risk of developing ADHD symptoms like impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity.


One study the researchers analyzed showed that children exposed to cannabis in the womb were more likely to have dysregulated emotions and emotional tendencies, including aggressiveness, high impulsivity, or affective disorders. They also had a higher risk of developing a substance use disorder.


Mothers Who Use Cannabis More Likely to Use Other Substances

The research team did note that while their analysis adjusted for maternal mental health problems, alcohol use, and tobacco smoking, it is important to factor in the probability that a person who uses cannabis might also be using other substances. In fact, “studies suggested that pregnant women who use cannabis are more likely to use other substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and other illicit drugs, which many confound the effect prenatal cannabis use on neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring,” they wrote, citing three separate studies.

A 2020 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry noted that even lower-level alcohol use can increase a child’s risk of ADHD by 25 percent. Heavy alcohol use increased a child’s risk by 30 percent and was associated with rule-breaking behavior and aggression.

Additionally, children whose parents smoked tobacco before and during pregnancy were over twice as likely to develop ADHD compared to children whose parents didn’t smoke, according to a 2022 study published in Frontiers in Public Health.


Nearly 10 Percent of US Kids Have ADHD

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 6 million (almost 10 percent) American children between the ages of 6 and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD.

In 2011, the number of children diagnosed with ADHD peaked at 6.4 million; between 2016 and 2019, the number remained relatively stable at 6 million.

Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed. Black children and white children (12 percent and 10 percent, respectively) are more often diagnosed with ADHD than Hispanic or Asian children (8 percent and 3 percent, respectively). Many children with ADHD also have coexisting disorders, such as behavioral or conduct problems (52 percent), anxiety (33 percent), depression (17 percent), autism spectrum disorder (14 percent), or Tourette syndrome (1 percent).


Author

Amie Dahnke is a freelance writer and editor residing in California. She has covered community journalism and health care news for nearly a decade, winning a California Newspaper Publishers Award for her work.


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