Marijuana Use May Cause Pregnancy Complications

Article Date: 13 Sep 2012 – 0:00 PDT

 

Pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, may be connected to marijuana-like compounds (endocannabinoids), which were also found to alter genes and biological signals essential to the formation of a normal placenta during pregnancy.

Experts in the Division of Reproductive Scientists at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have shown new evidence inThe Journal of Biological Chemistry, that the movement of early embryonic cells, which are critical to a healthy pregnancy, in particular trophoblast cells that form the placenta, are disrupted by abnormal biological signaling by endocannabinoid lipid molecules that are produced by the body.

This study supports prior research from August of this year in Drug Testing and Analysis, which indicated that the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) contained in ‘high potency’ marijuana and other brands of ‘synthetic marijuana’, may damage embryonic development, as early as two weeks after conception. Read More…