September 13, 2024 — Prenatal cannabis exposure is not associated with a significantly increased risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), psychotic symptoms, anxiety, and depression in the offspring but may result in a mildly increased risk for ADHD and raise the offspring’s vulnerability to cannabis consumption, according to a new study by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center.

In the first meta-analysis study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the researchers examined the association between cannabis use during pregnancy and a variety of long-term neuropsychiatric pathologies in the offspring.

As the global trend toward cannabis legalization continues, the prevalence of cannabis use among pregnant women is on the rise, raising concerns about its impact on fetal development. These results highlight the need for continued caution and further investigation into the long-term effects of cannabis use during pregnancy.

The methodology of this systematic review and meta-analysis involved analyzing 18 observational studies, with 17 included in the quantitative analysis, covering 534,445 participants. It assessed the potential risks posed by prenatal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. THC is known to cross the placenta, potentially affecting the developing fetal brain.

“While our study provides important insights, it is crucial to recognize that these results are not definitive,” says Prof. Ilan Matok of the Hebrew University Department of Clinical Pharmacy in the Faculty of Medicine School of Pharmacy. “Pregnant women should be aware of the potential risks, and healthcare providers should continue to advise caution when it comes to cannabis use during pregnancy.”

The findings may potentially underestimate the impact of contemporary prenatal cannabis exposure on the long-term neuropsychiatric outcomes given that most of the studies on the subject were conducted between the 1980s and early 2000s, when cannabis was characterized by considerably lower THC content than currently used compounds.

The research paper titled “Prenatal cannabis exposure and the risk for neuropsychiatric anomalies in the offspring: a systematic review and meta-analysis” can be accessed here.

Researchers:

Hely Bassalov Pharm1, Noa Yakirevich-Amir2, Inbal Reuveni3, Catherine Monk4,5, Sharon Florentin2, Omer Bonne2, Ilan Matok1

Institution:

  1. Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
  2. Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  3. Psychiatric Division, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel
  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
  5. New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, NY