CBD and Pregnancy: Is it safe to consume CBD while pregnant?

It’s early in the morning and your head is pounding. You know morning sickness is a common symptom for pregnant women, but you can never seem to shake that nauseous feeling throughout the day. 

Then there’s that overwhelming panic and anxious feeling that you seem to get at certain times throughout the day or even night. 

You know that feeling… The one where you never seem fully prepared to bring a baby into the world.

And how about that never ending checklist? It just continues to grow, along with your stress. 

These are the things that a pregnant woman faces in silence. While most articles talk alot about how beautiful and fun pregnancy is, very few address the ugly realities of expecting mothers. 

So what can pregnant women take to ease their daily stress and soothe their aches, pains, and nausea? 

Good question. 

As you may have noticed, CBD keeps popping up everywhere... and in everything. 

In fact, there are now CBD-friendly baby products out there, like CBD-rich baby creams, ointments, and balms. 

And studies even show that CBD can help reduce the frequency of seizures in children with Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome –– two incredibly rare and hard-to-treat forms of epilepsy.

So it seems the therapeutic effects of CBD are relatively safe for children, but what about for pregnant women? 

Cannabis and pregnant women

There’s a general agreement that using cannabis during pregnancy, or even while a new mother is breastfeeding, is a huge No-No. 

But why? 

First, we need to look at the cannabis plant as a whole before we can dive into CBD and its effects on pregnancy. 

As you may know, cannabis includes both marijuana and hemp. These plants are simply stains within the cannabis sativa plant. It’s the cannabinoids within that we need to take a closer look at. 

When consumers think of hemp-derived CBD products, they forget that there are three main formulations of CBD products: 

• Full Spectrum CBD –– The least processed, and contains all parts of the hemp plant, including THC. 

• Broad Spectrum CBD  –– Contains most of the beneficial phytonutrients of hemp plant without any trace amounts of THC.

• CBD isolate –– This is the purest form of CBD. Contains no other cannabinoids other nutrients of hemp plant, which means there is absolutely no THC. 

If you notice from the list above, THC seems to be the common concern in each formulation. 

That’s because THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the cannabinoid responsible for getting it’s users “high”.

It’s also the only cannabinoid that drug testers look for on a drug screen. 

So the issue of whether or not THC is present in a CBD product is a huge factor for consumers. But it’s also a concern for pregnant women who are considering consuming CBD. 

And here’s why…

According to Kelly Young-Wolff, a researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, “There are many concerns about prenatal marijuana use and the potential for adverse effects on the fetus… And although the health effects of prenatal cannabis use are complex and not well understood, no amount of cannabis has been shown to be safe during pregnancy.” 

This is because THC is able to cross over into the placenta and potentially affect the fetus. And believe it or not, cannabinoids like THC and even CBD can play a role in neurodevelopmental processes. 

Which, according to research, may cause an array of health effects on the developing fetus, like sudden infant death syndrome or cognitive and academic challenges as they get older. 

But researchers Dr. Ciara A. Torres, Dr. Carl L. Hart, Christopher Medina-Kirchner, and Kate Y. O'Malley, uncovered something quite surprising when reviewing countless studies regarding prenatal cannabis exposure and child cognition:

“Overall, we found a total of 1,001 statistical comparisons between groups of participants that were exposed to cannabis prenatally and non-exposed controls ... [and] despite analyzing studies spanning approximately three decades, we conclude the evidence does not support an association between prenatal cannabis exposure and clinically relevant cognitive deficits… 

The studies reviewed show that subtle differences in the cognitive performance between children who had been exposed to the drug prenatally and controls do exist, but the conclusions drawn sometimes extend too far beyond the actual data.”

Still, Kelly Young-Wolff has her concerns regarding birth weight and developmental delays…

“[There’s] sufficient evidence [of] an association between prenatal marijuana use and lower offspring birth weight, and limited research shows a correlation with some developmental delays or difficulties with executive functioning in the child — like problems with impulse control and attention.”

But judging from a recent review of countless studies, it seems there are other factors at play when it comes to developmental delays and functioning in the child. 

According to Kelly Young-Wolff, “Pregnant marijuana users often use other drugs in pregnancy… and prior studies haven’t been able to differentiate which effects are due to marijuana or other drugs they may be using.”

Nevertheless, there’s more we need to understand regarding THC and pregnancy. And we are in no way giving the green light to consuming THC during pregnancy or even while breastfeeding. 

We’re simply raising awareness. 

So what does this mean for CBD and pregnant women?

CBD during pregnancy

Unfortunately, comprehensive research regarding CBD and pregnancy does not yet exist. However, there is a study underway regarding the “Considerations and Implications of Cannabidiol Use During Pregnancy”.  

So hopefully the results will help clear the air. 

But there are some promising aspects of CBD…

While we know that CBD shares similar benefits with THC, it’s completely non-psychoactive. We also know that CBD is derived from hemp, which only contains trace amounts of THC—0.3% to be exact. 

And from what we hear from scientists and doctors, THC is the main concern regarding pregnant women. 

Now, we know there’s no evidence regarding taking CBD during pregnancy, but there is a study involving pregnant animal models and CBD. 

The study stated: 

“High doses of CBD given to pregnant test animals suggest abnormalities in the reproductive system of developing male fetuses including decreased testicular size, low testosterone, and abnormalities of spermatogenesis. There is an extrapolation from information available to suggest that some amount of CBD will be transferred to babies through breast milk.”

But according to Attorney Lynn Paltrow, executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW), she finds that singling out one study regarding cannabinoids and pregnancy is, “extremely skeptical, especially if it was done on mice.”

However, that same study touches on the fact that the real concern arises with CBD products that contain THC. All the more reason to use caution and possibly steer clear altogether.

So what about consuming CBD products free from THC? 

CBD isolate during pregnancy

Interestingly, the studies mentioned above involved CBD that contains THC. And since CBD isolate is free from THC, it should be perfectly fine to consume, right? 

The truth is, we don’t know. 

Remember when we mentioned that cannabinoids, like THC and even CBD may play a role in neurodevelopmental processes?

Well, it’s still unclear how CBD, even if it’s completely isolated from other cannabinoids, may actually affect expecting mothers and their unborn babies. 

And according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “There may be serious risks to using cannabis products, including those containing CBD, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.” 

But it seems not everyone is in agreement with this statement. 

For example, Dr. Stuart Titus, Ph.D. made it clear that, “CBD is a molecule that helps with neurogenesis, the development of healthy brain cells.”

And he believed that women who consumed high-quality cannabinoids actually delivered healthy babies. 

It seems Dr. Torres, an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Columbia, may actually be on the same page as Dr. Stuart Titus: 

“There’s an assumption that even though children are born healthy and normal, there’s an impact that we can’t see, that we just have to wait for them to grow up to see the impairment...”

But let us be clear, this statement was based on a 2020 Forbes article. They stressed that Dr. Torres’ main concern is “that individual studies have often been cited by US and state legal and medical authorities when implementing policies that serve to punish mothers — as by incarcerating them, or removing children from the home — simply for testing positive for marijuana before or after giving birth.”

Now we know this is a lot of heavy information, but we feel it’s best to understand both sides of this highly controversial subject. 

Still, the question remains…

Is it safe for women to consume CBD while pregnant? 

Until we have better results from these studies, the answer is… We’re not sure.

However, there are a lot of pregnant women who are currently consuming CBD. They claim it helps reduce their morning sickness, improves their appetite, promotes better sleep, and relieves certain aches, pains and anxieties. 

While we would never encourage a pregnant woman to consume CBD for these ailments, we understand that the decision is ultimately theirs. 

For this reason, we can’t stress enough the importance of only consuming high-quality CBD products. And it’s probably best to stick with pure CBD, like CBD isolate. 

But, if you decide not to go that route, there are a few remedies that may be able to address unwanted pregnancy symptoms. 

These remedies can help with: 

Morning sickness and nausea –– We understand the last thing you want to do when nausea sets in is to eat something. But you'd be surprised how nibbling on food, like crackers, ginger, or even bananas can help. 

It’s been said that ice chips and fresh lemon juice may help soothe nausea as well. 

Just do your best to avoid spicy and greasy foods that are known to upset your stomach. 

Trouble sleeping –– Exercise is known to help improve sleep and even massages can help promote relaxation. 

But before you reach for a sleep aid like tea, herbs, and other supplements, it’s best to consult with your doctor. 

Mood changes –– It’s inevitable that you’ll experience changes in your mood while you're pregnant. After all, your hormones are shifting and making way for your little bundle of joy. 

So don’t be too surprised if you find yourself more irritable, emotional, or even depressed at times. The key here is to recognize these changes as temporary. 

There are a few things you can do to help soothe these surging and ever-changing mood swings:

• Find someone to vent to (talk therapy)

• Try light therapy (especially on cold and cloudy days) 

• Eat a balanced diet (packed with dark leafy greens and nutrient-rich veggies and fruits)

• Exercise (this can help release natural endorphins which help promote a positive mood)

• Sleep (practicing going to bed early and avoid sleeping in too late)

For more serious and prolonged episodes of anxiety, depression, panic, and insomnia, consult your doctor. 

Lastly, we need to touch on one last topic… 

Consuming CBD after giving birth? 

According to anecdotal reports, women find that CBD helps balance out mood and promote overall well being after giving birth. 

Now you might think you're in the clear to start taking CBD, but there’s one small hiccup… 

CBD ends up in breast milk. 

Sure, this might not seem like a huge issue, but according to the FDA and multiple researchers, it’s just not a good idea. 

Since CBD is able to get into the breast milk, it can still affect the baby. 

Now whether those effects are good or bad is yet to be determined. For this reason, it’s best to err on the side of caution and just steer clear. 

CBD during pregnancy: the bottom line

In truth, the current research is unclear as to whether cannabinoids truly have a negative effect on a developing fetus. However, it is clear that there are some interactions going on; we just don’t know what they are yet. 

The more we learn and study these remarkable cannabinoids, the more we can benefit from them in the right way. 

That said…

As much as we believe in the therapeutic properties of CBD, the research is just not there yet. And the safety of you and your unborn child is what's most important in the end. 

However, we will say that once you’ve had your baby and after you wean them off of your breast milk, then by all means, embrace the therapeutic benefits of high-quality CBD.