CBD during pregnancy is a controversial topic. Even though CBD is (more-or-less) non-psychoactive, many feel uneasy about taking medications or supplements while pregnant. It’s one thing for a doctor to prescribe some anti-nausea medication for morning sickness. It’s entirely different to do the research and decide based on your personal understanding.
Frankly, it can be scary. Maybe you or someone you know has tried CBD. For many, it helps with sleep, stress, anxiety, and depression. The exact thing expecting mothers might experience throughout their pregnancy.
But taking CBD during pregnancy affects your baby. It’s not just a question of experimenting with what works for you and hoping for the best.
That’s why we put together this blog post. We wouldn’t be able to sleep at night (CBD or not!) if we knew expected mothers were testing out our CBD without knowing the potential risks. And even if you’re not trying our CBD, we want to emphasize the importance of finding a reputable source.
So without further ado, let’s explore the topic of taking CBD during pregnancy. But first, we’ll quickly answer any questions you might have regarding what CBD is.
What is CBD?
Not all cannabis or “marijuana” gets you high. The cannabis plant has hundreds of compounds known as plant cannabinoids. These plant cannabinoids change when heated and interact with our endocannabinoid system. The most famous one is called Tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. THC is the cannabinoid that makes users feel stoned or high.
But a majority of the cannabinoids in cannabis won’t get you high. If you source from hemp, a plant like cannabis, you won’t get high since there is no THC. So what’s the purpose of these other compounds? They all have their uses, but the most abundant (and famous) is Cannabidiol or CBD.
CBD is an anti-inflammatory that has approved uses for epilepsy. But many people use CBD as a vitamin supplement. We’ve mentioned people using it for sleep. But others also take CBD for sports-related injuries or workout recovery. Others give CBD to their pets to much great success.
Benefits of using CBD during Pregnancy
Because CBD works so well for relieving stress and anxiety, taking CBD during pregnancy offers potential benefits. The same goes for expected mothers who may have trouble sleeping or suffer nausea or vomiting from morning sickness. Cancer patients use CBD to reduce their nausea from chemotherapy. There’s no reason to think the same wouldn’t apply to women with pregnancy-related nausea.
Here are some common reasons pregnant women may want to try CBD:
- Reduces nausea/vomiting
- Reduces stress and anxiety
- Treats pregnancy-related inflammation
- Eases cramping
- May reduce pregnancy-related acne
- Reduces sleeping problems
But why does CBD help? The answer goes back to our endocannabinoid system (ECS) and how these plant cannabinoids interact with them.
Our ECS regulates our biological and physiological workings. Things like pain management, sleep, mood, and digestion are part of the ECS regulation process. As part of the ECS, we have cannabinoid receptors in our brain and throughout our bodies responsible for transmitting messages. CBD interacts with the CB1 and CB2 receptors. This process makes the many benefits of CBD possible.
For a regular person, there is a little-to-no risk. The side effects are nil. CBD might interact with certain enzymes in the liver, so if you’re already on medication, it’s best to talk to your doctor first. But in general, CBD is as safe as crossing the street.
But what if you’re pregnant?
Potentials Risks of CBD During Pregnancy
We strongly suggest you talk to your doctor before making any decisions. As every pregnant woman knows, what you put in your body passes through the placental barrier and interacts with your baby’s brain.
We’d like to say CBD during pregnancy is risk-free, but unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough research to confirm this. For now, we have a few studies and anecdotal accounts. We’ll let you discover others’ anecdotal experiences. Instead, we’ll focus on what the science says regarding taking CBD during pregnancy.
One study saw researchers give pregnant animals high doses of CBD. These animals had problems in the reproductive systems of male fetuses. However, this study is over 35 years old. And what happens in animals doesn’t always translate to people. A more recent 2019 study suggested exposing fetuses to plant cannabinoids negatively affected their immune system development. But unfortunately, that study didn’t look specifically at CBD.
Research on CBD during pregnancy suffers from a catch-22. Ethics boards don’t want to approve studies that require pregnant women to take CBD until there’s evidence that taking CBD is safe during pregnancy. As well, randomized, double-blind clinical trials are not cheap. They can take years to complete. There simply isn’t enough interest in taking CBD during pregnancy to warrant further research.
Regardless, the conclusions of a few studies on CBD during pregnancy are enough for medical boards and government bodies to err on the side of caution. The consensus is that pregnant women should avoid CBD until birth.
Of course, a general stigma around cannabis creates problems for researchers, especially in the United States. As well as general confusion over the differences between cannabis and hemp. We already saw how one study on plant cannabinoids and pregnancy didn’t separate CBD from the others. And it’s unclear how researchers interpreted the data to control for the other complex hormonal processes that occur during pregnancy.
Isn’t CBD already in Breast Milk?
You might have heard that breast milk has CBD. And research confirms that cannabinoid receptors have a significant role to play in embryonic development. Breast milk does have an endocannabinoid that is structurally similar to CBD. It’s called two-arachidonoyl glycerol or 2-AG, but how different is this endocannabinoid from the plant cannabinoid CBD?
Until we have a clear answer, taking CBD during pregnancy comes with potential risks. That said, there’s no indication that CBD threatens a human fetus anymore than it threatens the mother.
Finding a Reputable CBD Source
If you choose to try CBD during pregnancy, make sure it’s a reputable source. Growers of low-quality CBD will spray their crops with pesticides. Under a microscope, you’ll find evidence of heavy metals and bacteria. Not exactly what you want for yourself or your baby. It wouldn’t hurt to narrow your search for organic CBD only.
You can avoid all this trouble by finding a reputable source. Here at Green Cuisine, we source our CBD from organic hemp flowers grown in the sub-alpine regions of Slovenia. Our CO2 extraction process ensures no solvents are used that can end up in the final product.
If you choose to try CBD for pregnancy, we don’t recommend smoking or vaping (although those are options). Instead, we offer a balm that can do wonders on sore parts of your body. We also provide drinks, teas, or powder you can add to a beverage. For the best bang for your buck, we have CBD oil drops.
In Summary
Consuming CBD during pregnancy is not risk-free. We strongly recommend you talk to your doctor or OB-GYN first. Find a reputable source like Green Cuisine if you decide to try it out. Do your research. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you want further information on our products.
Taking CBD during pregnancy is not something to be taken lightly. As much as we’d like to tell you it’s 100% safe and you should start today, the truth is we don’t have enough research to say one way or another. That said, we have no reason to believe CBD endangers a human fetus anymore than it does the mother. And we know in human adults, CBD is safe and effective.
