Is second hand pot smoke just as dangerous as first hand?
What Kind Of Birth Defects Does Pot Cause?
None. The reason they give for not smoking pot while pregnant are close to the reasons for not smoking cigarettes while pregnant (i.e. Lower birth weight).
Smoking marijuana during pregnancy may affect your baby's growth and the development of his nervous system. Studies have shown that children who were exposed to marijuana during pregnancy sometimes have problems focusing their attention and solving problems.
Children of heavy pot users may also have problems with short-term memory, concentration, and judgment. (There's no evidence so far, however, that marijuana use during pregnancy causes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
One study even found that young children whose mothers smoked marijuana during pregnancy had a higher risk of leukemia than those whose mothers did not.
There's no way to know if the pot you're smoking has been laced with other drugs (such as PCP) or contaminated with pesticides, which would put your baby at even higher risk. And using marijuana increases the chance that your baby will have birth defects if you're also drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco.
If you smoked pot before you realized you were pregnant, don't panic. The chance that your baby has been affected is very small. Still, it's important to be honest with your practitioner about your previous use of pot and other recreational drugs. She may want to run some extra tests to be sure your baby is developing normally.
Children of heavy pot users may also have problems with short-term memory, concentration, and judgment. (There's no evidence so far, however, that marijuana use during pregnancy causes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
One study even found that young children whose mothers smoked marijuana during pregnancy had a higher risk of leukemia than those whose mothers did not.
There's no way to know if the pot you're smoking has been laced with other drugs (such as PCP) or contaminated with pesticides, which would put your baby at even higher risk. And using marijuana increases the chance that your baby will have birth defects if you're also drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco.
If you smoked pot before you realized you were pregnant, don't panic. The chance that your baby has been affected is very small. Still, it's important to be honest with your practitioner about your previous use of pot and other recreational drugs. She may want to run some extra tests to be sure your baby is developing normally.