Marijuana and Pregnancy: A Toxic Mix

Recently, marijuana has become legal for recreational use in California. However, if you are trying to get pregnant and stay healthy, marijuana is not the right choice for you. Researchers have found that women who regularly smoke marijuana may have irregular menstrual periods, making it tougher for them to get pregnant. Men, who smoke cannabis, can have low levels of testosterone and low sperm count.

Marijuana and Pregnancy

Many people assume that it is safe to smoke marijuana as it is an herb; and hence, not as harmful and dangerous as smoking a cigarette. On the contrary, marijuana contains around 400 different chemicals, and is known to have 50-70% more carcinogens compared to tobacco. These cancer-causing substances present in cannabis are hydrocyanic acid, carbon monoxide, and ammonia.

If you still continue to smoke marijuana during pregnancy, it may result in the following:

• Premature birth
• Your baby may have low birth weight
• Compulsory stay of the neonate in the hospital for special care
• Withdrawal-like symptoms, like excessive crying and tremors, in the newborn baby

Cannabis also affects the growth and development of the baby during pregnancy. Scientific studies reveal a baby’s brain development is adversely affected due to marijuana. Hence, such babies are more susceptible to developing issues with memory, behavior, and attention when they begin schooling.

Marijuana can be addictive, and like any other addictive substance, it can affect your ability to react and understand the needs of your baby. Hence, you may be unable to provide your little one with a healthy and safe environment.

Furthermore, if you continue smoking marijuana after the birth of your baby, your little one could end up with health problems like pneumonia, colds, coughs, bronchitis, ear infections, and asthma.

The Way Forward

If you are trying to get pregnant, it is best to stop using marijuana completely. If you are addicted to it, you should consult a nearby pregnancy care center, like Mendo Lake Women’s Clinic, CA. Here, you will be able to speak to a patient advocate to chart out the best course of action to help you kick the addiction, so that you can work on getting pregnant, and enjoying optimal sexual and pregnancy health.

With the help of highly trained and qualified medical staff at Mendo Lake Women’s Clinic, you can learn how to take care of your health and well-being, so that you provide your baby with the best environment in your womb for the right growth and development. You may also visit www.211wc.org for more information or call us today at 707-463-1436 to schedule an appointment for a free consultation.