shades fills you in

More and more women are using weed while pregnant or breastfeeding, according to Vox -- often for morning sickness. There definitely isn’t enough evidence to say that it’s safe, but there also isn’t really enough evidence to say it’s definitely unsafe either. Still, doctors are concerned

E.g., one oft-cited study found that weed use in pregnancy was correlated with low birth weight -- even more so than tobacco use

And CNN reports on studies showing in-utero weed exposure can cause all kinds of issues: Psychotic-like behaviors, attention problems, sleep issues, weaker cognition, and even autism

But while this Dutch study found that kids whose moms smoked weed while pregnant had more behavioral problems, that was also true for kids whose moms only smoked *before* pregnancy, and for kids whose dads smoked

Neuroscientists writing in The Conversation Magazine say we need way more research -- and warns that a “lack of evidence of harm” isn’t the same thing as safety

Reason Magazine explains why things are so confused: Studies using self-reporting can be unreliable, we don’t test stuff on pregnant women as a rule, it’s hard to isolate weed from other factors, and we don’t have good data on different types of weed use (smoking, vaping, eating, when, etc.)

The NYT talked to a handful of moms who used weed while pregnant. All of them say they used it to help manage pregnancy symptoms, and many felt it was a better option than prescription meds

But this Harvard Health Blog points out we have plenty of different medications for morning sickness; there’s no reason to go with something more risky and less tested. Seriously, it’s not “just about you” -- think of your kid(s)!

The state of Alabama hard agrees. Under Alabama’s “chemical endangerment” law, women who use weed while pregnant are jailed without bail. The Guardian says there’s more of this to come, with the end of Roe v. Wade

Reason Magazine thinks that’s unhinged. If the point is to protect fetuses, Alabama’s laws don’t work. Whatever weed’s risks, it can’t be worse than being jailed. And pregnant women can’t get the care they need

The Cut also thinks we need to have some sympathy. These women aren’t careless or selfish. They care deeply about their babies, and are as desperate for more research as doctors are

So what to do? Well, bottom line, the FDA says don’t do it. Err on the side of caution, protect your baby, and don’t use weed (including CBD!) while you’re pregnant. Hemp seeds are in the clear, though