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Exposure to Maternal Cannabis Use Disorder Ups Risk for Youth Behavioral Disorders

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on March 24, 2025.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, March 24, 2025 -- Children exposed to maternal cannabis use disorder (CUD) during pregnancy and postpartum have an increased risk for later behavioral disorders, according to a study published online in the April issue of Psychiatry Research.

Abay Woday Tadesse, from the School of Population Health at Curtin University in Australia, and colleagues assessed the relationship between maternal CUD during pregnancy and postpartum periods and the risk for disruptive behaviors in offspring. The analysis included linked data from 222,604 mother-child pairs, with live births recorded from 2003 to 2005.

The researchers found significantly higher risks for disruptive behavioral disorders in children of mothers with CUD during the antenatal (risk ratio, 3.56), perinatal (risk ratio, 3.55), and postnatal (risk ratio, 2.95) periods versus nonexposed dyads.

"Cannabinoid ingredients can cross the placenta and enter breast milk, potentially affecting brain development," coauthor Rosa Alati, Ph.D., also from Curtin University, said in a statement. "This research provides critical evidence to help shape health policies aimed at minimizing harm."

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted March 2025

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