I recently received this email from one of my readers: Show I am about to be a father and have been told that you have done research on the effects of marijuana use during pregnancy on a child. I would like to know where I can find and read whatever has been published about these studies. The topic of marijuana use in pregnancy is a very confusing one, mainly because marijuana does not have a direct health effect on pregnancy; there is no increased rate of preterm labor, growth retardation, or other such complications. However—and this is a big however—even though marijuana does not affect pregnancy outcome, it does have an impact on fetal brain development. Long-term studies document that children whose mothers have used marijuana during pregnancy have a higher rate of executive functioning difficulties, which interfere with learning and behavior, especially as related to planning and following through with a task. Executive functioning is a vital issue, because although the children "look normal," they cannot behave and respond appropriately in the classroom or sometimes even at home. For a fuller discussion of executive functioning, see my previous blog on this topic. The "medical marijuana" movement complicates things further. Marijuana does have a role in treating some conditions, especially alleviating the side effects of chemotherapy. However, few if any states that have legislated the availability of medical marijuana have included guidelines for prescribing marijuana to pregnant women. In studies that we have conducted in states that have medical marijuana laws, we find that the rates of marijuana use in pregnancy are some of the highest in the nation. As I noted earlier, this can have a profound effect on the children's long-term outcomes. At the least, any woman of childbearing age who requests a prescription for marijuana should have a pregnancy test prior to being given a prescription. I'm sure there are those who would disagree with this approach, but there is enough scientific evidence to demand some restriction of medicinal use during pregnancy. Bottom line—marijuana use is not safe in pregnancy. We need to get that message out to the public and to legislators. Home » Q&A my period is late. i am having pregnancy syptoms. i tested 3 times . and theyre negative. since i smoked the other day could that be a problem theyre negative? 10 Answers
Women who use marijuana while they are figuring out how to get pregnant may be less likely to get pregnant compared with those who don't get high, a new study suggests. The study researchers found that, among women trying to get pregnant, those who reported using marijuana or who had a positive urine test for the drug were 40% less likely to get pregnant during each monthly cycle, compared with those who didn't use marijuana. In addition, marijuana users had differences in levels of certain reproductive hormones, which could potentially affect their pregnancy chances. "These results highlight potentially harmful associations between cannabis use and reproductive health outcomes," the researchers, from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), wrote in their study, published Monday (Jan. 11) in the journal Human Reproduction. Related: How to get pregnant: 10 tips for women However, the authors note that only a relatively small number of women in the study used marijuana, which limits the robustness of the study findings. And they did not assess marijuana use in women's partners, which could also affect conception chances. The study does not prove that using marijuana directly causes fertility problems — only that there's a link between use of the drug and lower odds of conception. In addition, the study involved a sample of women who had experienced a previous miscarriage, and so it is unclear if the findings would apply to the general population. Still, until more research is available, the authors say that women should be cautious about marijuana use while trying to conceive, according to a statement from the NIH. Marijuana and fertilityThe American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists already recommends that women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant discontinue marijuana use, given concerns about the effect of the drug on the fetus' brain development. However, few studies have examined the effects of marijuana use on fertility. Of the small number of studies that have been conducted, all relied entirely on self-reports, which may underestimate marijuana use given the stigma of substance use. The study researchers analyzed information from more than 1,200 women ages 18 to 40 who were trying to conceive and had experienced one or two prior miscarriages. These women, who were from four states (Pennsylvania, New York, Utah and Colorado) were originally part of a separate study looking at the effect of low-dose aspirin on pregnancy outcomes from 2006 to 2012. The women were followed for six months while they were trying to conceive. At the start of the study, women reported if they had used marijuana, pot or hashish in the past 12 months. They also provided at least two urine samples — one at the start of the study, and another six months later if they hadn't conceived, or at the time of pregnancy if they did conceive. Overall, 62 women (5% of participants) either reported marijuana use in the past 12 months or had a positive urine test. (A total of 44 women self-reported marijuana use, and 33 had a positive urine test, meaning that 18 women who didn't admit to using marijuana had indeed used the drug.) By the end of the six-month study, 42% of marijuana users had become pregnant, compared with 66% of non-users, the researchers found. And marijuana users were 41% less likely to conceive each cycle, compared with non-users. The findings held even after the researchers took into account factors that could affect fertility, such as age and body mass index (BMI) as well as alcohol use. Studies in animals have found that marijuana may affect the lining of the uterus and make it less likely for an embryo to successfully implant, the authors said. They call for further research exploring the effects of marijuana on fertility, particularly given the increasing legalization of the drug. Originally published on Live Science. Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American. What can cause a false negative pregnancy test?You might get a false-negative if you:. Take the test too early. The earlier after a missed period that you take a home pregnancy test, the harder it is for the test to detect HCG . ... . Check test results too soon. Give the test time to work. ... . Use diluted urine.. Does smoking affect hCG levels in early pregnancy?Smoking was associated with significantly depressed serum levels of E2, SHBG and hCG: in smokers, E2 levels were on average 17.6% lower (P = 0.037), SHBG levels were 12.4% lower (P = 0.15), and hCG levels were 21.5% lower (P = 0.044).
What can throw off a pregnancy test?7 Causes for a False-Positive Pregnancy Test. Chemical pregnancy.. Ectopic pregnancy.. Recent pregnancy loss.. User error.. Evaporation lines.. Medical conditions.. Next steps.. Can drugs affect a pregnancy test?Medication Interference
Medications that could affect your test include benzodiazepines, phenothiazine, promethazine and others. Urine contaminated with blood or protein can also trigger a false positive. A laboratory-quality test may be your best option for accurate results.
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