Using cannabis while pregnant, even early in the first trimester, is linked to a higher likelihood of mental health problems in children, according to a study published Sept. 12 in JAMA Pediatrics.
Researchers from St. Louis-based Washington University tracked 12,000 children over the course of several years and found a positive correlation between cannabis exposure during pregnancy and higher risk of ADHD, substance abuse, aggressive behavior and other disorders. Some of the mental and behavioral problems identified persisted into adolescence.
No causal determination was made in the study.