President Trump made news a few weeks ago by encouraging pregnant women not to take Tylenol, or any pain reliever containing the drug acetominophen.
The president claimed acetominophen used during pregnancy can cause infants to develop autism. Reputable studies have not confirmed such a link. But a column on The Washington Post website said federal officials could do a better job of protecting maternal and child health if they would focus on a risky drug whose use is rising among pregnant women: marijuana.
“Use of the drug during pregnancy has soared in the past two decades,” wrote Dr. Leana S. Wen, an emergency physician and clinical associate professor at George Washington University. “From 2002 to 2020, the share of women who consumed it in their first trimester rose from 6.3 percent to 16 percent. Among those in their final trimester, the practice more than doubled, from 2 percent to 4.7 percent.
“Results from a 2022-2023 survey published this year found that 14.6 percent of pregnant women and 12.5 percent of breastfeeding moms said they had used cannabis in the past three months,” she added.
She said research shows that pregnant women who use marijuana more than double the risk of a stillbirth. It increases the chances of their baby being born underweight, and of requiring intensive care upon delivery.
“Infants exposed to the drug in utero more often exhibit signs of abnormal development, including trembling, high-pitched crying and unusual reactions to light and sound,” the column added. “As they grow, they are more likely to struggle with attention, memory and problem-solving, and to be diagnosed with behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity.
“Longer-term studies following these children into adolescence have found higher susceptibility to substance use and worse functioning, suggesting lasting changes in brain pathways.”
It appears many women are unaware of these risks. Some have said, for example, that they prefer using marijuana instead of prescription medicine to relieve symptoms like nausea during pregnancy.
This is not surprising. Many states, including Mississippi, have relaxed marijuana laws, and the drug has been popular for decades. Even so, pregnant women must be reminded it’s not harmless. Like tobacco products and alcohol, marijuana carries risks, especially for unborn children.
Wen’s column said it best: “If the Trump administration is looking for a meaningful public health campaign, this is it. Rather than searching for purported harms linked to vaccines and Tylenol, it could focus on the real and growing risks of cannabis consumption.
“With nearly half of states now allowing recreational marijuana use and most permitting it for ‘medical’ purposes, Americans need a reminder that ‘legal’ does not mean safe, healthy or recommended.”
— Jack Ryan, Enterprise-Journal
