Perceptions of Cannabis Use and Its Benefits and Risks Among Breastfeeding Mothers
Background: Approximately 5% of breastfeeding women report using cannabis. Little is understood about perceived benefits and risks of cannabis use; thus, this study aimed to fill this gap. Methods: An anonymous online survey was conducted from 2018 to 2019 among breastfeeding women ( n = 1516) who u...
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| Published in: | Women's health reports (New Rochelle, N.Y.) Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 412 - 423 |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , , |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
United States
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers
01-05-2024
Mary Ann Liebert |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Get full text |
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| Summary: | Background:
Approximately 5% of breastfeeding women report using cannabis. Little is understood about perceived benefits and risks of cannabis use; thus, this study aimed to fill this gap.
Methods:
An anonymous online survey was conducted from 2018 to 2019 among breastfeeding women (
n
= 1516) who used cannabis. Data collected included demographics, frequency and timing of cannabis use, perceived effects in infants, and repercussions experienced. Analyses included descriptive statistics; chi-square and
t
-tests were used to test differences between groups (SPSSv28). A subset (
n
= 413) left open-text responses about cannabis and its perceived risks and benefits. Content analysis and ATLAS.ti were used for open-ended responses.
Results:
Two-thirds (67%) of participants were “not at all” concerned that cannabis use while breastfeeding affected their baby. Only 3% attributed symptoms in their infants to cannabis use; symptoms were perceived as positive or negative. Interestingly, 45% (
n
= 603) altered timing of cannabis use relative to breastfeeding to avoid exposing their infant to cannabis. Most mothers (85.8%) reported no changes in their breast milk supply. Few respondents were investigated by Child Protective Services (6.9%) or arrested (3.8%) for cannabis use. In open-ended responses, three themes emerged about the perceptions of cannabis use while breastfeeding: (1) cannabis preferred to address medical concerns, (2) positive impact of cannabis on quality of life for mothers and their children, and (3) concerns about negative consequences.
Conclusion:
Breastfeeding mothers who used cannabis reported positive perceptions of cannabis as a safer alternative to medications, yet concerns existed about legal repercussions. Understanding maternal perceptions may be useful in developing successful approaches to counseling mothers about cannabis use. |
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| Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
| ISSN: | 2688-4844 2688-4844 |
| DOI: | 10.1089/whr.2024.0021 |