Fitness Nutrition Forums

Is Marijuana Really Becoming More Popular Amongst Expectant Mothers to Curb Morning Sickness?

Expectant mothers usually experience morning sickness within the first trimester of pregnancy. This nauseous feeling, which can be accompanied by vomiting, can happen at any time of the day (not necessarily the morning as the name would suggest) and often makes a woman feel quite lousy, although it is not harmful to the baby—American Pregnancy notes those with more severe cases of morning sickness may suffer from hyperemesis gravidarum.

Pregnant women are often in search of remedies to help alleviate their symptoms, and while most women may try to have small meals often, keep hydrated, and get plenty of rest, others have been using marijuana. In 2019, there have been several headlines about how “women are using marijuana for morning sickness” to help with their nausea, and a study published in the
Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) has stated that marijuana may be a “safer option than prescription drugs for morning sickness,” Parents reports. The study found that 4 percent of pregnant women said they used marijuana in 2014 (up by 2.4 percent in 2002).

But this is probably not a good idea because many health publications, as well as the American Medical Association, have noted that using marijuana during pregnancy is dangerous and could cause result in a number of health problems, including premature birth and later behavioral issues in children, Parents reports. USA Today also reports that research has indicated that preterm births were twice as common in those who use marijuana, compared to those who did not.

Science Daily references a study conducted on rats, which highlights the effect that cannabis exposure can have on the brain of a developing fetus. The publication reports that the research has shown a connection between marijuana use and the “nerves in the hippocampus, the brain's center for learning and memory.”

On the other side of the argument, Parents notes that supporters for the use of marijuana have stated that there is “little evidence of harm” and some women, like Maryland mom, Claire Alcindor, claim that marijuana was the only way to alleviate her symptoms and keep food down. Alcindor told USA Today, “I needed to eat, I needed to stay alive and survive this pregnancy.”

[Image via Shutterstock]

{{ oArticle.title }}

{{ oArticle.subtitle }}