Why do individuals use hashish throughout being pregnant and breastfeeding?

Individuals who use hashish throughout being pregnant and lactation select it to handle pregnancy-related signs and pre-existing situations, resembling nausea and vomiting, psychological well being issues, insomnia and extra, in response to new analysis revealed in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Affiliation Journal).

Hashish use by pregnant and breastfeeding individuals seems to be rising, though there’s a lack of proof on prevalence and the results of hashish on offspring. This examine supplies fascinating insights into motivations and the altering nature of causes to be used throughout totally different phases of replica.

“Our findings have little or no resonance with proof on motivations for hashish use recognized in nonpregnant populations, suggesting that motivations to be used throughout being pregnant and lactation are distinctive,” writes Dr. Meredith Vanstone, McMaster College, Hamilton, Ontario, with coauthors. “The explanations to be used supplied by our individuals extra intently match these recognized in research of medical hashish use, resembling for controlling ache, nervousness, despair, muscle spasms, nausea or urge for food, and for sleep, with many utilizing hashish to handle a number of signs.”

The examine included 52 individuals recruited from throughout Canada, of whom 51 had been ladies and 1 recognized as nonbinary. All had used hashish earlier than their being pregnant. On the time of the interview, 30 individuals had been pregnant and the remaining 22 had been breastfeeding. The explanations that individuals gave for utilizing hashish modified once they grew to become pregnant. Some individuals stopped out of concern of hurt to the fetus once they discovered they had been pregnant. Different individuals stopped due to social stigma, guilt and well being causes. Those that saved utilizing hashish described their motivation as associated to managing signs of being pregnant and situations that pre-existed being pregnant. After they gave beginning, their motivations for utilizing hashish modified, extra intently resembling the explanations they equipped for utilizing hashish earlier than turning into pregnant.

These findings have implications for scientific apply, together with counseling of pregnant and lactating individuals on the potential harms of hashish use and various approaches.

“I feel it is essential for physicians to know that individuals who use hashish throughout being pregnant are sometimes doing so as a result of they understand essential advantages of hashish for controlling quite a lot of signs. There’s a chance right here for exploring the advantages that pregnant sufferers are getting from hashish and serving to them discover alternate options that we all know are secure for each mother and child,” Dr. Vanstone concludes.