New Study Shows Increased Likelihood of Birth Defects When Alcohol and Cannabinoids Are Used in Early Pregnancy
A press release issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that “using both marijuana and alcohol during early pregnancy may increase the likelihood of disrupting fetal development.” In a study funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), Fetal animal models that were exposed to alcohol and compounds found in marijuana called cannabinoids showed malformations in the developing embryo. Researchers believe that exposure in early pregnancy to these two drugs may have a significant impact on the healthy development of a fetus.
Prenatal alcohol exposure has long been studied and is known to cause significant risks to unborn children including birth defects and neurodevelopmental abnormalities. According to the press release: “The detrimental effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on human development are well known and include an array of lifelong physical, cognitive and behavioral problems collectively called fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).”
How marijuana affects a fetus requires further research, but the study showed that even limited exposure can cause similar defects and malformations seen with alcohol exposure. According to the study, mice that were given both drugs doubled the likelihood that certain birth defects would be present. Because alcohol and marijuana are so often combined, it becomes imperative to study how they individually and jointly affect a developing fetus.
Read the full story: “Using both marijuana and alcohol during early pregnancy may increase the likelihood of disrupting fetal development.”