Medical researchers at the University of Colorado plan to study the effects of marijuana use by pregnant women.
Dr. Torri Metz, a high-risk obstetrician who cares for pregnant mothers and delivers babies at University of Colorado Hospital, will use a grant to develop a questionnaire for new mothers about their marijuana use.
The grant was awarded to the university’s Anschutz medical campus.
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While doctors tell pregnant women not to use marijuana, they currently have little data to date to support that recommendation.
More study is needed on the association between marijuana use and fetal growth restriction, hypertension in pregnant mothers, stillbirth, spontaneous pre-term birth and other conditions, the university said in a news release.
“If you look at the literature now, you find very mixed results,” Metz said. “About half of the studies say there is an association between marijuana use and adverse outcomes. About half say there is no association.”
She hopes to provide data-supported answers as marijuana laws change nationwide.
“I am seeing more and more self-reported marijuana use in the clinic,” she said. “I don’t know if this is a reflection of women using more marijuana or of the women being more willing to tell us about their use.”
David Olinger: 303-954-1498, dolinger@denverpost.com or @dolingerdp
