There's some debate about the effects of marijuana on a growing fetus. It's difficult to study because there's not a large pool of women to sample and previous tests have included women who also smoke, use other drugs or drink alcohol. Some studies point out that marijuana causes a whole host of neurological and developmental side effects, while advocates of marijuana point to their own studies, which show the plant has positive affects. They also claim that it is it is natural and an effective cure for morning sickness. Most doctors, like Dr. Richard S. Abram, author of "Will It Hurt the Baby," agree that if you smoked marijuana before you knew you were pregnant, the chances of it harming the baby are slim, but advise to avoid it for the remainder of your pregnancy, just in case.
Exposure to Other Drugs
According to Gerald Briggs, pharmacist and clinical specialist for Baby Center, it's difficult to know if your pot is laced with other, more dangerous drugs. Traces of drugs like PCP, cocaine or opiates can cause serious problems for your baby, including problems with brain development, circulation and even miscarriage. It's also possible your marijuana was grown with pesticides whose affects on growing fetuses have not been tested.
Birth Weight
According to the American Pregnancy Association, smoking marijuana causes increased levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide in the blood stream. These are passed to the baby through the placenta, and lower the amount of oxygen in the blood stream. This is associated with low birth weight, much like with smoking tobacco. Contrarily, a 1990 study by anthropologist Melanie Derher and University of Massachusetts anthropologists found that women in Jamaica who regularly use marijuana medicinally showed no correlation between marijuana and low birth weight. These women used the drug to ease morning sickness, increase appetite and treat anxiety and depression. After one month of follow up, these children's growth and development matched that of children whose mothers did not smoke marijuana.
Attention and Problem Solving Skills
Baby Center reports that smoking marijuana can have an effect on your baby's ability to focus, pay attention and solve problems as they develop. A 2004 study published in Biological Psychiatry Volume 56, Issue 12 found that marijuana caused certain neural defects and neurological side effects, including withdraw symptoms and focus problems. Attempts to repeat these findings proved inconclusive, leading researchers to believe they may have failed to isolate the effects of marijuana from the affects of tobacco and alcohol.
