How Weed Might Be Affecting Your Baby Plans

Let's talk about THC, the stuff in weed that gets you high. New research shows it might be causing some serious issues for women trying to have babies.

Scientists looked at over 1,000 samples of ovarian fluid from women getting fertility treatments. They found something interesting. Women with THC in their systems had more mature eggs. But here's the catch: those eggs had more problems with their chromosomes.

Chromosomes are like the instruction manuals for your body. They need to line up just right for a healthy baby. THC seems to mess with that process. When eggs were exposed to THC in a lab, they showed more structural issues that could lead to problems in embryo development.

But before you panic, the study doesn't prove that THC definitely causes these issues. It just shows a connection. More research is needed to understand the full picture.

This study comes at a time when more and more pregnant women are using cannabis. Between 2002 and 2020, past-month cannabis use among pregnant women more than tripled in the U.S.

Experts are advising caution. They suggest that women trying to conceive might want to cut back on cannabis use. The problem is, it's hard to know exactly how much THC is in different products. So, it's tough to say exactly what's safe.

THC levels in cannabis have been going up. Between 1995 and 2022, THC potency quadrupled. Some concentrates now have 40% THC or higher. Higher levels of THC have been linked to more health problems, including addiction.

So, what's the takeaway? If you're trying to have a baby, it might be a good idea to be careful with cannabis. Talk to your doctor about safer alternatives.