Marijuana use during pregnancy linked to autism in babies, study saysIn what they call the largest study ever done, researchers found using marijuana while pregnant may increase the risk that a child will develop autism.
"Women who used cannabis during pregnancy were 1.5 times more likely to have a child with autism," said study author Dr. Darine El-Chaâr, a maternal fetal medicine specialist and clinical investigator at Ottawa Hospital Research Institute in Canada.
"These are not reassuring findings. We highly discourage use of cannabis during pregnancy and breastfeeding," she said.
Past studies have shown the use of marijuana during pregnancy is linked to low birth weight, impulsivity, hyperactivity, attention issues and other cognitive and behavioral issue in children, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pregnant women who use marijuana, one study found, have a 2.3 times greater risk of stillbirth.
"Based on that, I'm not too surprised by these findings," El-Chaâr said. "Fetal brain development occurs throughout all gestational ages.".............
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/10/health/weed-marijuana-pregnancy-autism-link-wellness/index.html
