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Cannabis and breastfeeding.

Lisa Graves1

  • 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine, Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA.

Paediatrics & Child Health
|June 26, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Cannabis use during breastfeeding may pose risks to infant development, but research is limited. Healthcare providers should discuss potential concerns with breastfeeding mothers, given the lack of high-quality evidence.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Cannabis is a widely used substance in Canada, with 15% of Canadians reporting use in 2019.
  • Emerging evidence suggests cannabis affects the developing brain in utero and can lead to adverse outcomes in children.
  • Research on cannabis use during breastfeeding is limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up periods.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the existing evidence on the impact of cannabis use during breastfeeding.
  • To highlight the challenges in current research methodologies.
  • To emphasize the need for continued dialogue between healthcare providers and breastfeeding women regarding cannabis use.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies examining cannabis exposure during breastfeeding.
  • Analysis of limitations in existing research, including sample size and follow-up duration.
  • Discussion of the difficulty in distinguishing prenatal from breastfeeding exposure.

Main Results:

  • Current evidence on cannabis and breastfeeding is limited by small sample sizes and short follow-up durations (up to 1 year).
  • Separating the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure from exposure during breastfeeding presents a significant methodological challenge.
  • High-quality evidence regarding the long-term impact of cannabis on breastfed infants is lacking.

Conclusions:

  • Given the limited high-quality evidence, healthcare providers must proactively discuss potential risks associated with cannabis use during breastfeeding.
  • Further research with robust methodologies is needed to understand the effects of cannabis on breastfed infants.
  • Open communication is crucial for informed decision-making by breastfeeding mothers regarding cannabis consumption.
Keywords:
BreastfeedingCannabisInfant nutritionPostpartumSubstance useTHC

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