Medical cannabis and pregnancy

While there aren’t any longitudinal studies on cannabis and pregnancy, it is highly recommended that you do not use cannabis while pregnant. 

Many women are now turning to cannabis to help with morning sickness and anxiety during pregnancy. When cannabis with THC, the psychoactive chemical in cannabis, is consumed while pregnant, the chemicals go throughout your body, including the placenta or child – in effect, you’re sharing the cannabis with your unborn child.

Cannabis without THC, so CBD only medications, may be less harmful during pregnancy.

If you’d like to use medicinal cannabis while pregnant, speak with your doctor about the health risks for both you and your child. There may be other alternatives to help with any conditions, symptoms or side effects of the pregnancy that you’d like to treat. 

It’s also important to note that if using cannabis for adult use (recreationally or to self medicate) you may run into some legal issues if cannabis comes up in any of your pre-natal screenings. Australian state and territory laws require that the “safety and well-being of the child is a paramount consideration” and any illicit substance found in a pregnant woman may result in a prenatal reporting going to child protection services.

Each state and territory may have different regulations. For more information on this please speak with your healthcare professional or go to your relevant state website.