Pregnancy is a miraculous, exciting time. However, pregnancy is marked by uncomfortable symptoms that sometimes can persist throughout the entire 9-months-plus experience. Treating pregnancy symptoms is often complicated; as many pharmaceuticals and physical therapy treatments are dangerous to both mother and baby.
For these reasons, researchers are continually exploring new treatments safe for pregnant women. One such treatment is the therapeutic use of cannabidiol or CBD.
What is CBD?
Cannabis has more than 100 chemical compounds, known as cannabinoids. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the most well-known cannabinoid that causes the psychoactive response known as a high.
CBD is the second most known about cannabinoid derived from the Hemp plant. It has the same molecular structure as THC, but have different effects on the body due to the arrangement of the atoms, and is non-psychoactive.
The human body has two receptors for cannabinoids. The first, CB1, are involved in coordination, movement, pain, emotions, and mood. CB2 receptors interact with the immune system and impact inflammation and pain. Until recently, scientists believed that CBD oil affected both CB1 and CB2 receptors, but they now know that is not the case. Rather, the cannabinoid actually affects the mechanism in the brain that binds specific receptors involved in anxiety and pain. This explains why CBD effectively treats these symptoms, without the high associated with THC. ReThink CBD products contain Zero THC.
THC is known to stimulate the CB1 receptor, which leads to altered sensory perception and impaired motor skills. Cannabidiol can be made from either marijuana or hemp cannabis and can be extracted in several different ways. In order for CBD to be classified as legal, it must contain less than .03% THC levels. CBD works by mimicking endocannabinoids that play major roles in the brain and bodily processes. The endocannabinoid system, or ECS, also plays an important role in the development of the fetus during pregnancy.
Is CBD safe during pregnancy?
Pregnancy, as wonderful and exciting as it is, often brings with it uncomfortable symptoms that can even linger into the postpartum period. Physical symptoms range from nausea, heartburn, chronic pain, migraines, restless leg syndrome, sciatica, swelling and more. Psychologically, many women battle anxiety and depression which can be exacerbated by a lack of sleep and physical symptoms.
Cannabis is known to help reduce all of these symptoms. It is recommended that pregnant women avoid psychoactive substances including THC. Luckily, cannabis contains more than 100 cannabinoids, so it is possible to separate the non-psychoactive cannabidiol from THC for relief from pregnancy symptoms. CBD can be consumed in many ways; if you decide to use CBD during pregnancy, we recommend CBD oil instead of smoking or vaping.
CBD and pregnancy
THC and medical marijuana have been studied far more than CBD, and even more so during pregnancy. Because cannabis is still illegal in many countries around the world, research has been somewhat limited due to ethical concerns for the fetus and mother. Additionally, CBD has been relatively unknown until recently. That said, there are a few recent studies that can help illuminate a CBD pregnancy.
• CBD can help with contractions: One preliminary study from 2010 concluded that CBD helps oxytocin-induced uterine contractions during labor. This is because it is considered to be a muscle relaxant.
• CBD does not cause harm during ovulation or damage to embryonic cells: Unlike THC, which can be associated with altering ovulation and damaging embryonic cells, CBD does not cause the same damage.
• CBD has been associated with “significantly decreased subjective anxiety,” according to one study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.
• Another study found that CBD oil reduced pain and inflammation without side effects.
• The World Health Organization released a report in 2017 that states that CBD “exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential.” It goes on to state that “to date, there is no evidence of public health-related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”
Is CBD safe for pregnancy?
So, is it safe to use CBD oil during pregnancy? Unfortunately, the research is still too limited to say definitively. While the initial data is encouraging for pregnant women seeking some sort of relief, the overall data is lacking. Most doctors lean toward an abundance of caution because CBD products aren’t regulated the way pharmaceuticals are, so they can’t guarantee the safety of individual CBD products.
Marijuana-related research, in general, is woefully scarce, and CBD research even less available at this time. Furthermore, studies on how various substances affect pregnant women and fetuses are minimal. There are limited amounts of research information to date exploring the effects of CBD use during pregnancy, so it’s safe to say that pregnancy CBD oil is not coming to the market in the near future.
Once medical cannabis becomes more mainstream and there is a greater investment in research, we can reach a conclusion accepted by the medical community.
It’s important to research different brands and select a high-quality, natural compound when buying CBD. Moms-to-be need to have all the information so they can make educated choices for their health and the health of their baby. All things considered, a happy mom means a healthier baby and CBD is much safer than many pharmaceutical drugs prescribed for the same conditions.
At ReThink CBD, we are devoted to increasing access to one of the healthiest, natural compounds out there. Learn more about us and contact us with any questions today.
