CBD: Is It Safe to Use During Pregnancy & Breastfeeding?
By now, due to their increasing availability and popularity, you have probably heard about CBD products. If you are an avid CBD user or someone interested in jumping on the bandwagon and beginning CBD, you may be wondering about CBD use during and after pregnancy especially if you plan on breastfeeding. So, if you are interested in learning more, keep reading!
CBD Oil: In Review
To review, cannabidiol (CBD) is the second most abundant cannabinoid found within the Cannabis plant, next to THC. CBD users commonly report it to be beneficial in helping anxiety, pain, inflammation and improved sleep quality among many others. It is non-intoxicating, meaning that it won’t cause the user to feel high or stoned. CBD is offered in an array of forms including oils, edibles, vapes and topicals and is federally legal in all 50 U.S. states as long as it contains <0.3% THC.
CBD Use During Pregnancy & Breastfeeding- Is It Safe?
The list of CBD’s benefits seems to be endless, but unfortunately very little research has been conducted on use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, because reliable data is lacking, we at Green Therapy CBD recommend checking with your doctor before starting or continuing CBD if you are pregnant or nursing. However, if you’re looking to err on the side of caution, because certain CBD products do contain trace amounts of THC, it is best to avoid starting or reintroducing CBD until you are no longer pregnant or nursing.
What Are the Risks of Taking CBD During Pregnancy & Breastfeeding?
Because there is no comprehensive research studying CBD use and its effect on a developing fetus or breastfed baby, the FDA is collecting data on a rolling basis and based on what is known according to the FDA, there is significant cause for concern. One study investigating cannabinoids effects on fertility reported that perinatal exposure to CBD or CBN could produce long-term disruption of testicular function. Lastly, a major cause for concern is a misrepresentation of CBD and THC content. Another study reported that because CBD is not FDA regulated, not all companies send their products to independent labs for testing. Consequently, their products may contain more THC than stated. So, not only is the product deemed a controlled substance, but use during pregnancy can affect fetal brain development and increase the risk of low birth weight and stillbirth.
*We at Green Therapy CBD lab test all of our products for potency and accuracy, however, there isn’t enough evidence to conclude whether or not the trace amounts of THC in our full spectrum products can pose harm to newborns.
What Is the FDA’s Stance on Future Research Regarding CBD And Its Effects on Pregnancy and Breastfeeding?
The FDA plans to further investigate the effects of CBD use during pregnancy and lactation, including, for example, whether and to what extent the presence of CBD in human milk is harmful to the baby or the mother’s milk production.