I am curious about the effects of smoking marijuana on pregnant women.

I have done some research on it but the information i find can either be too vague or riddled with propaganda.

I experimented with weed on and off only a handful of times a few years ago but stopped until a few months ago i started again. Prior to that my husband and I have been trying to conceive for the past 4 years and nothing was happening.

I started smoking frequently a few months ago and low and behold i became pregnant. (My first clue that i was pregnant came when i was high and i could feel not only my own vibration i could feel a different energy within me i got a check up and found i was six weeks pregnant) I am now in my 8th week and i am wondering could smoking weed cause any health issues with my baby, should i stop during the pregnancy or cut back?

I started to smoke again as an alternative to all the medication i was taking for depression and i noticed a marked improvement in my mental state of mind when i was not on the pills and chose weed. In fact i find that i smoke less than i took pills. I would like to continue the practice because it relaxes me and helps in my meditation.

Any advise will be welcomed.

This is not advice in any way shape or form, but just wanted you to know you're not alone in not being able to find any conclusive info.

It isn't out there; I'm actually in the middle of finishing my thesis research on this very topic. Been scouring the internet collecting anecdotal evidence posted by women who chose to use cannabis during pregnancy; conducting a qualitative analysis of emergent themes.

Until then, a couple of studies offer some clues as to outcomes (mostly positive). Here's a brief lit review with links to references:

http://norml.org/about/item/breathe-push-puff-pot-use-and-pregnancy-a-review-of-the-literature

Oh and you're not alone... both hubby and I are CHRONIC users. We had infertility issues for over a decade (though the issues started before I'd even tried cannabis and also when hubby had not used cannabis in more than 10 years).

I finally conceived (unaided and unexpected) while still using as much cannabis as ever. The link between cannabis and infertility appears to be a myth.

I am now 25 weeks along; luckily I'm being attended by a Naturopath and Midwife generally supportive of medicinal cannabis use. After many physical issues returning with a vengeance after quitting during early pregnancy, I had a talk with my doctor who admitted the ONLY major concerns with gestational cannabis use come as a result of inhalation of combusted products, not the cannabis itself.

I was so relieved when she looked me dead in the eye and asked, "why'd you STOP? Can't you just eat it?"

When I assured her I had the means to eat/vape on an as-needed medicinal basis, she smiled and replied, "problem solved!"

That being said, I will reveal there appear to be MANY women who've shared their stories online indicating they continued to SMOKE cannabis throughout their pregnancy, without notable detriment to their babies

It's a very PERSONAL decision, and one YOU need to feel comfortable with.

I myself opted for a harm reduction model, as my condition(s) threatened my ability to continue my pregnancy should I decide to deny myself medicinal use. I was uber conflicted, but the anecdotal evidence paired with my physician's approval helped to ease my mind.

A word to the wise, however - be selective how/where/with whom you share... contempt, judgement and ridicule has been a common theme wherever I've found these positive reports from cannabis using mothers - even on so-called cannabis advocacy sites

I believe this is one major reason for these discussions being somewhat "elusive." In fact, most of these reports are retroactive; made in hindsight AFTER the fear of ridicule and/or serious legal sanctions (and perhaps even self-doubt or inner conflict) have passed. It's pretty hard to argue the supposed "harm" in the presence of a perfectly healthy outcome.

The research done by Dr. Melanie Dreher (sp?) on pregnant women and their babies in Jamaica has been, to my knowledge, the only real research of it's kind on marijuana/pregnancy. But reading through her work might be a good place to start.

I used marijuana during pregnancy. I don't believe it's harmful. It's not something I'm proud of or would admit to anyone other than you guys. My oldest kid was tested and was found to have "superior intelligence", and is way off-the-charts in terms of height. My youngest is of normal height and is extremely gifted- started reading super-early and would have skipped at least one grade had I allowed it. Marijuana obviously didn't cause them to be smart and tall, but it clearly didn't hurt, either.

Agreed... the Jamaica study is a good one:
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/medical/can-babies.htm

As is this survey of medical cannabis users who used cannabis during pregnancy in Canada:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16401527

(Both of these articles and others are referenced/linked in NORML's lit review in my original post here)

Thanks a million for your response this really helped me. I will bring this up at my next doctor visit, but it's the only thing that's helped thus far.

I wish you luck with your doctor.

If it were ME, I'd be pretty clear on how to present your situation before going in... unless you have immense trust and respect for your doc, or already feel they will be supportive, this could turn out to be quite the uncomfortable situation.

I don't know where you live (if you're in a med-pot state/country, etc.) or anything like that, to know what the general climate surrounding pot-use is, let alone for expectant women with medical concerns.

I will say that I had quite an advantage for the following reasons:

1. I live in a med-pot state with generally accepting attitudes surrounding cannabis use and relatively relaxed cannabis laws.

2. I have a well-established history of pre-existing medical problems, as well as a history of having my medical marijuana recommendation

3. I am using a Licensed Naturopath as my primary care physician as allowed in my home state

4. My ND is a cannabis advocate, she is also a professional researcher by trade and is well-versed in the evidence (or lack thereof) of fetal harm

5. MY ND was a colleague of mine; we worked together thus I already knew (roughly) what her position would be. Also, since we worked together, she knows ME and was well-acquainted with my level of responsibility, maturity, etc. I guess what I'm saying here is that she already knew I was a med user and that I am a high functioning responsible user

The reason I lay all this out here is because I've read stories of women revealing their use to their doctor, only to be made to feel like "druggies" harming their unborn babies! Depending on a LOT of factors, your conversation could go quite differently than mine and you should be prepared for this possibility.

The LAST thing I'd want to see would be anyone taking my experience as "typical" and end up with a CPS case!

I do believe women should be able to be open and honest about their cannabis use within their patient-physician privilege (there is no shame in medicating with less harmful substances to treat valid conditions), but I just fear this isn't always the case.

Educating yourself in advance with whatever research you can find is surely a step in the right direction.

Again... BEST OF LUCK and CONGRATULATIONS

thanks, well i am living in Jamaica so there isn't any legal allowance for using marijuana (sad) but my doctor is very understanding he has been my physician since my mom was pregnant with me we have 27yrs worth of history and i think it's going to go well.

I have been thinking for years that i should move to Canada.

Sounds like you might be good to go then... not only do you have a long-standing relationship with your physician, but you live in a generally canna-tolerant culture (perhaps not "legally," but certainly culturally tolerant).

PLUS, the "Jamaican Study," as it is known will be able to be viewed through an experienced lens, coming from the same country you're in.

I do think you are right and there is a high likelihood of your conversation going well... I wish you good luck and great happiness with your pregnancy.

Not that it's any of my business, but I am indeed curious - since there is no legal allowance, what is the purpose of discussing your cannabis use with your doctor? Are you looking for them to provide information and/or support? Are you just wanting to unburden your soul, or otherwise looking to inform your physician 'just because?'
Would you stop using cannabis as medicine if your doctor is unsupportive or outright against it (despite YOU feeling it works well for YOU)?

Again, I'm just curious as to your reason(s). Knowing what "makes people tick" is a favorite passtime for me

well it's partially to alleviate some of my fears, I guess I was just a little concerned. I don't think he will tell me to stop I think he'll just monitor me, but whether or not he says stop based on the information i am getting here as well as from other moms here mostly in the rasta culture who used it during their pregnancies i will continue to use it medicinally. I don't abuse it, and another thing that's constant out there is that most people have it that people who smoke weed are some stoners who just smoke for the sole purpose of getting high and spaced out.

I am in a weird situation, while it is more or less socially acceptable here, my husband has absolutely no idea that I smoke weed. That is my main issue, he is totally against it. He has been so brainwashed he actually told me once that he would prefer to live and die in ignorance as he is not interested in what so called positive uses there are for cannabis.

That hasn't stopped me though. Just another day in the life...