Did you Know: That 7% of pregnant women continue to smoke marijuana throughout their pregnancy?
Oh, and nearly 70 percent of licensed Colorado dispensaries recommended that pregnant woman use marijuana.
There is some strong evidence of adverse fetal outcomes related to marijuana use during pregnancy. Women who use marijuana during pregnancy are more likely to experience placental complications and give birth to babies with lower birth weight, temporary poor autonomic control, particularly in terms of regulating their alertness; and a "hole in the heart"(ventricular septal defect).
Research suggests that, at ages three to four years, children of mothers who used marijuana while pregnant have poorer verbal, memory and reasoning ability; poorer motor skills and shorter length of play; and are more likely to be fearful, impulsive, inattentive, hyperactive and delinquent. These difficulties appear to persist into adolescence, when they may be accompanied by increased depression and anxiety, along with reading and spelling problems and general underachievement at school. Such deficits may also continue into early adulthood, along with an increased risk for initiation of tobacco and marijuana use. In addition, there exists some evidence that mothers' marijuana use during pregnancy increases the risk of their children developing childhood cancers, including non-lymphoblastic leukemia, rhabdomyosarcoma (a rare, highly malignant tumor that can occur anywhere in the body), and astrocytoma (a type of brain tumor). Preliminary research also suggests that fathers' marijuana use in the year prior to their children's birth is associated with an increased risk of rhabdomyosarcoma in their children, and that fathers' marijuana use during conception, pregnancy, or post-natally may be associated with an increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in their infants. Do NOT Legalize Marijuana! |
References:
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