Women who use marijuana while pregnant are almost three times more likely to have a child with low birth weight than pregnant women who don't use pot.
Researchers at the Lawson Health Research Institute, Western University, and Brescia Universtity College made the determination by looking at data from perinatal and neonatal databases at London Health Sciences Centre. The researchers also found smoking and use of amphetamines by mothers-to-be, along with high blood pressure, were factors for low birth weight.
“Low birth weight and preterm birth are serious public health problems. Both are associated with a higher risk of infant mortality,” says principal investigator Dr. Jamie Seabrook, a Lawson associate scientist; and professor at Brescia University College.
The reseachers say low birth weight can lead to several health problems, including asthma and poor cognitive development during childhood. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease later in life is also elevated.
Other factors that could be linked to birth outcomes, such as demographics, in an effort to see if there was a relationship between socioeconomic status and adverse birth outcomes. The did not find a significant link.
“There is a widely-held view that socioeconomic status is highly associated with low birth weight and preterm birth. However, there have been few population-based studies investigating this relationship in Canada. Most of this research has come from other developed countries, particularly the United States,” says Dr. Seabrook “It’s possible that Canada’s universal health care system provides a larger safety net for these mothers and their children.”
The study looked at live births between February 2009 and February 2014 at the London Health Sciences Centre. Babies born weighing less than 2.5 kg were considered "low weight."