Study finds use of prenatal cannabis may affect behavior of children later
The use of cannabis during pregnancy can affect thinking and learning skills and lead to greater aggression in exposed children, according to a new study co-authored by a UC College of Nursing researcher.
The study looked at a cohort of 250 children and was recently published in JAMA Pediatrics.
“Children exposed to marijuana prenatally demonstrated worse executive functioning including: lower attention, inhibitory control and planning abilities compared to children not exposed to marijuana prenatally,” explains Aaron Murnan, PhD, assistant professor in the UC College of Nursing and a co-author of the study. “Children with exposure were also observed to be more aggressive compared to their peers.”
The study’s lead investigator and author is Sarah Kleim, PhD, at the Center for Biobehavioral Health at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“Although cannabis is a natural product, there are still many risks to using it during pregnancy,” says Kleim. “Some women may turn to cannabis to help deal with some common issues of pregnancy including nausea, sleep problems and stress. This is not recommended. Consulting with a health care provider to find safer options to help with these issues during pregnancy is important.”
Aaron Murnan, PhD.
Murnan says this study has great methodological strengths. Its findings were reported by public radio’s WOSU in Columbus, Ohio and other media outlets.
“This is well-aligned with our previously published study among a younger cohort of children who were age 3,” explains Murnan, a researcher in the Department of Population Health in the UC College of Nursing. “In that study, children exposed to marijuana prenatally had more sleep-related problems and externalizing problem behaviors (including aggression) compared to children without prenatal exposure.”
Murnan says more work is needed to fully understand the extent of how prenatal marijuana exposure impacts children’s developmental and behavioral trajectories. However, this study contributes to a growing and substantial amount of evidence for risks associated with marijuana use during pregnancy, he adds.
“The findings align with existing recommendations cautioning pregnant people to discontinue marijuana use during pregnancy,” says Murnan. “This can be a challenging adjustment. Providers and family members alike should seek to be empathetic and supportive in helping those who are pregnant trying to reduce or discontinue their marijuana use.
“If we think about lower executive functioning and increased aggressive behaviors at age 5 (and 3 in our prior paper), these can potentially jeopardize or interfere with children’s performance and early success within educational environments, which may impede their long-term educational trajectories,” says Murnan.
Learn more about Aaron Murnan's research online.
The study was reported in several media outlets.
Featured top image of cannabis image courtesy of Istock.
Latest UC News
- Watch: CCM alum Kathleen Shimeta discusses composer Gena Branscombe and promoting equity in musicWatch the next alumni guest lecture presented as part of CCM Speaks, led by the UC Alumni Association. UC College-Conservatory of Music alum Kathleen Shimeta presents "Bringing Back Branscombe: A Woman Composer Lost – Now Found."
- A long haul with long COVID-19A growing body of evidence suggests those in the low- and middle-income brackets are more likely to develop long COVID-19, to suffer longer with its symptoms and to endure job loss, eviction and other serious consequences because of it.
- Hoxworth showcases leadership, innovation at conferenceHoxworth Blood Center had a prominent role at this year’s Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies (AABB) Annual Meeting, showcasing its leadership and expertise in transfusion medicine, biotherapies and apheresis. The conference, a global event for the blood and biotherapies industry, brought together professionals, scientists and experts to share the latest advancements, research and best practices.
- UC starts adaptive athletics programProgram director and coach Jacob Counts spoke with WOSU Columbus Public Radio about the new UC Adaptive Athletics program that gives the opportunity for athletes with disabilities to compete in collegiate sports.
- Discovery in Action Showcase spotlights UC College of Arts and SciencesThe University of Cincinnati College of Arts and Sciences has hosted its first Discovery in Action Showcase, bringing together the wide range of disciplines under the A&S umbrella to show the community the hard work and research being done behind the scenes. Students, faculty, and researchers filled the TUC Great Hall with engaging poster presentations and immersive demonstrations displaying the diverse, creative work being done through the College of Arts and Sciences.
- Food pantry experience proves challenging, rewarding for UC studentsGraduate student Kindall Coley and Kassidy Meyer, a fellow nutrition and dietetics student in UC's College of Allied Health Sciences, spent last summer working for Pantry4Health, a service of St. Vincent de Paul Choice Food Pantry and St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy.
