Marijuana use doubles in US pregnant women to 1 in 14

CHICAGO (AP) — Pot use in pregnancy has doubled among U.S. women and is most common during the first trimester, government research shows.
Overall, 7% of pregnant women, or 1 in 14, said they used marijuana in the past month. That's from a nationally representative health survey in 2016-17 and compares with a little over 3% in 2002-03.

Some studies have linked marijuana use during pregnancy with increased chances of premature birth and low birthweight. Animal studies have linked high doses early in pregnancy with fetal brain abnormalities, but whether typical use in humans poses similar risks is unknown, said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"Because we don't know exactly how harmful it is, it's better to err on the side of caution," said Volkow, one of the authors of the government study. Marijuana use during pregnancy "is not worth the risk," she said Tuesday.

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