Increased risk of obesity and high blood sugar in children linked to prenatal cannabis exposure

A newly conducted study suggests that the use of cannabis during pregnancy may heighten the likelihood of children developing obesity or experiencing elevated blood sugar levels by the age of five.

Products containing non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD) or the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are often employed by pregnant women to mitigate symptoms such as morning sickness, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, and pain.

However, the study establishes a correlation between the exposure to such compounds during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and “increased percentages of fat mass and fasting glucose levels” in children upon their entry into school.

Brianna Moore, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Colorado, who focuses her research on how early-life exposure to tobacco and cannabis impacts children’s growth and brain development, is the author of the study. Moore advises women to “avoid all forms of cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding in order to minimise potential adverse health outcomes in their children.”

The research team analysed urine samples from 103 pregnant women, revealing that 15% of the women had detectable cannabinoid compounds in their bodies.

The findings show that the five-year-old children of these mothers had greater fat mass and fasting glucose levels compared to children whose mothers did not use cannabis during pregnancy.

Cannabis is known to contain over 100 cannabinoids, with CBD and THC being the most widely recognized. According to Dr. Moore, further studies are required to explore the effects of the other compounds on babies exposed to them during gestation and through breastfeeding.

In a separate 2016 study conducted in Colorado, it was discovered that up to 22% of pregnant women exhibited detectable cannabinoid levels in their bodies.

Earlier studies have also indicated that women who use CBD and THC during pregnancy not only increase the risk of their children having low birth weights and behavioural issues but are also doubling the likelihood of premature birth. Additionally, cannabis use during pregnancy has been associated with a higher prevalence of “psychotic-like” behaviours in nine-year-old children, as per other studies conducted in 2019 and 2020.

The research, titled ‘Fetal Exposure to Cannabis and Childhood Metabolic Outcomes: The Healthy Start Study’, is available in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism published by the Endocrine Society.