Changes in prenatal cannabis use and perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose

To understand the observed increase in prenatal cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study compared differences in prenatal cannabis perceptions among pregnant people who used cannabis before versus during the pandemic.

Method

From 2018–2022, participants who ever used cannabis during pregnancy (N = 136, M_age = 27.0 years, 29.9 % white) were recruited in their first trimester and surveyed during their first and second trimesters. Participants responded to the Daily Sessions, Frequency, Age of Onset, and Quantity of Cannabis Use Inventory, Reasons for Using Marijuana measure, and Marijuana Perceptions Questionnaire.

Results

Compared to those responding before the pandemic, those responding during the pandemic were more likely to use cannabis to manage physical and psychological symptoms, including vomiting, depressed mood, chronic illness, pain, sleep, and appetite (RR’s > 2.0, p’s ≤ 0.020). Among those who reported medical use, participants responding during the pandemic were more likely to report physician-recommended use (RR=2.2, p = 0.075). Participants responding during the pandemic were more likely to use edibles (RR=1.72, p = 0.023), and less likely to smoke cannabis mixed with tobacco (RR=0.69, p = 0.009), and they were more likely to have attempted to quit or reduce use (RR=1.14, p = 0.047).

Conclusions

The shift in cannabis use to treat pregnancy and pandemic-related symptoms during the pandemic underscores the necessity of enhancing prenatal support systems for managing physical and mental health symptoms in times of significant disruption to routine prenatal care and daily life. This may be particularly important given projected increases in the frequency of epidemics and pandemics.