Impact of second hand marijuana on a fetus
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Exposure to cannabis, including THC and CBD, during pregnancy is strongly discouraged due to the potential risks it poses to fetal development. emphasizes that cannabis use can profoundly impact fetal brain development and is linked to various long-term psychiatric disorders such as psychosis in adolescents and young adults. Cannabis is known to be lipophilic, meaning it dissolves in fats and can cross barriers such as the blood-brain and placental barriers, potentially affecting brain and hormonal development in the fetus 1 2.
Furthermore, cannabis can promote estrogenic activity, altering hormone patterns in developing fetuses, which can impact sexual characteristics and brain development. As such, these hormonal shifts foster concerns about the effects of cannabis use on a developing fetus's brain and overall health 3.
It is crucial for pregnant individuals to abstain from cannabis to avoid these risks to fetal development, and this caution extends to breastfeeding as well, given the compound's ability to enter breast milk and affect nursing infants 4 3.
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