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CBD and Pregnancy: What You Should Know

Almost every woman dreams of the day when she gives birth to a child, but the pregnancy time period comes with its fair share of ordeals and side effects. It induces unpleasant feelings like nausea, vomiting, body aches, and mood swings. Apart from these, women also undergo extreme psychological distress, including anxiety and depression.

During this time, you are looking for things and medications that can help reduce your symptoms. Moreover, you are also looking for natural remedies that can help with pain and other side effects. There is a lot of talk related to CBD and its positive effects on pregnant women. Some brands claim that CBD can do wonders for pain relief and psychological distress, while research suggests caution. According to many researchers, CBD may prove beneficial, but the lack of research and empirical data in the area demands restraint.

However, to know whether there is any truth to the opposing claims, read ahead to know more about whether or not can you use CBD while pregnant?

What Is CBD?

Before we move on to the actual claims and their validity, we need to understand the product. CBD has been around for many years, but many people are unaware of its origins and its legality. CBD or cannabidiol is a component that is derived from the cannabis plant. It is often used interchangeably to THC, another component derived from the same sources, however, using the products interchangeably can have dire consequences.

CBD is mostly used for therapeutic effects and for mitigating pain. On the other hand, THC may be used for similar purposes, but it leads to a certain high associated with cannabis plants. So, make sure you are not taking THC for pregnancy.

young pregnant woman taking drops of cannabis oil

How To Consume CBD?

CBD is available in a variety of products. Most people take it in the form of tablets or an oil extract that is added to food for enhanced flavor and easier administration. With the former, you can take in a fixed amount of CBD and can better regulate its usage. However, with an exact form. Administration becomes easy. But these aren’t the only ways to consume CBD.

You can also take it in the form of gummies or powder. Moreover, many people prefer taking in the form of oils. But depending on your preference, you can choose a form that best serves your purpose.

What Are the General Benefits of CBD? 

Below are some of the general benefits of CBD itself and products containing CBD, read on to find out what they are.

The unregulated use of any product can be harmful to you. Like in many conditions, the use of CBD oil during pregnancy is not advised. The federal drug administration goes as far as to strongly advise against the use of CBD during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is because research on the subject is still in the developmental phase and the effects on the fetus are still unknown. Currently, there is no evidence suggesting whether some amount of THC can enter the brain of the baby or not.

Here, the problem isn’t with the use of CBD – but its unregulated use. It is worth remembering that many drug companies don’t follow any strict procedures when it comes to the manufacturing or standardization of CBD. This can result in small amounts of THC in CBD products. As mentioned before, the former produces the high associated with cannabis plants and can have long-lasting and deteriorating effects on the child’s brain.

Additionally, another risk is of CBD affecting embryo implantation and promoting miscarriages of women. This claim is further substantiated by the advice of Felice Gersh, a California-based MD and OB-GYN and award-winning author of books on female pregnancy.

However, the FDA realizes that many women have experienced some level of pain relief and pain mitigation after consuming CBD. They have hence started more and more data related to CBD and its effects on female pregnancy. This, along with the speed in research, will help strengthen the claims of either party, the ones supporting the use and the others suggesting caution.

This brings us to our next question; can your health care provider advise CBD?

woman-consulting-with-a-doctor

Asking for Expert Advice

It is worth remembering that every pregnancy is different. Some women may experience slight pains, whereas others experience excruciating pain and extreme psychological distress. Furthermore, women who have had experience with CBD before may not react very strongly to it. But these are all speculations. If you want sound advice and want to know for sure whether you can take CBD or not, you need to consult with your health professional.

Health professionals will take in your history, evaluate your physical and mental health, and will act accordingly. Moreover, they will help regulate your dosage, so you don’t take in more than you should. Additionally, they will recommend to you a brand that is known for standardizing and testing its CBD products extensively before usage. All this will help minimize the risks and will help you purchase a product that suits you.

Using CBD Before Realizing You Are Pregnant?

The strict guidelines by FDA and common myths surrounding the product have instilled fear among women. This includes especially those women who have used CBD before they have realized they are pregnant. If they get a positive test after a couple of weeks, and they have been using CBD products during that time, they shouldn’t panic. According to many doctors including Marco Mouanness, Md, and fertility expert in  New York City, these women shouldn’t be scared and simply stop consumption when they realize their pregnancy. Moreover, they should immediately consult with their OB/GYN to get their take on the issue.

What Does the Research Say?

Before you jump to any conclusions, you need to understand how medical research works. In a variety of cases, researching on human subjects is not possible. This results in a lot of animal studies. Although human studies are better, animal studies also offer a better insight into the issue. When it comes to pregnancy, CBD research is not very common. However, many animal studies have found out a positive relationship between THC and miscarriage. This is cause for concern because THC is another product that is derived from cannabis and is often used interchangeably with CBD.

In many cases, your doctor will prescribe some additional hormones like progesterone to minimize any potential risk of miscarriage. According to many doctors like Dr.Gersh, taking this additional progesterone will help protect the body from the effects of CBD experienced during early pregnancy. However, here, it is worth remembering that there is a huge difference between CBD and THC. Unlike THC, CBD doesn’t make your stones.

Similarly, it doesn’t intoxicate and doesn’t come in a drug test. Moreover, CBD has been known for offering many benefits like pain relief, improved neurological system, and better psychological health, so before you dismiss the product entirely, make sure you consult with your health provider.

woman taking cbd oil for her health

Some Potential Harms

If you are still thinking of using CBD without first consulting with your doctor, here are some things you should remember. Here are all the perceived risks associated with the use of CBD during pregnancy.

  • Risk of miscarriage

Animal studies have found a positive link between continuous use of CBD and early miscarriage. While animal studies aren’t as conclusive as human studies, they still hold some relevance.

  • Reproductive harm

Other animal studies have linked the use of CBD during pregnancy to lower sperm production in the male offspring. This could seriously hamper your child’s reproductive attributes later in his life. So if you are giving birth to a boy, you are risking his future by continuous use of CBD.

When Can I Start Using CBD Again?

Starting CBD usage as soon as you have given birth may not be the best choice. If you want to breastfeed your child, you should ideally hold off the use of CBD for some time. This is because there is a high risk of CBD crossing from your milk to your child and causing some harm. Additionally, there is other evidence that suggests a negative impact of CBD on infant motor development. This becomes a great issue because some studies have found out that CBD remains can be found in your breast milk for up to six days after use.

But don’t be too upset just now. You can start using CBD products as soon as you are done breastfeeding your child. At this point, you or your baby are no longer at risk of harm. Here it is worth remembering that CBD comes with its fair share of pros and cons even after post-pregnancy use. So make sure you understand its downsides before you start consuming it again.

Alternatives To Pain Mitigation

If your goal is to have an easier pregnancy, one where you don’t experience uncomfortable side effects or symptoms all the time, we have some solutions for you. These may not be as beneficial as CBD, but they can definitely help ease your life.

Ginger

This is one of the best natural remedies that has been used by people since ancient and biblical times. It was previously used to help with nausea and vomiting. Many doctors now recommend that ginger also helps with digestion and the general metabolism of the body. Furthermore, some doctors like Dr.Gersh also note that using ginger in a variety of forms, like in tea or powder form can allow for many great benefits.

Magnesium

Getting adequate sleep is one of the things women struggle most with. They often turn to medications when there are perfectly safe and harmless natural remedies available. To help with sleep, magnesium can help a great deal. It is one of the most essential vitamins that help induce a calming effect in the body. Moreover, it helps combat depression and anxiety. Additionally, magnesium also helps block pain receptors, so pregnant women can sleep with ease.

Vitamin B

Many people consume vitamin B in supplement form, and they enjoy countless benefits associated with it. Vitamin B can help reduce the severe side effects of pregnancy. However, you shouldn’t take vitamin B more than is recommended by your health practitioner. So before jumping on the bandwagon, make sure to consult your health provider.

judge's hammer and weighing scale

CBD and The Question of Legality

If you are someone who’s interested in using CBD post-pregnancy, there are some things you should know about its legal status. Even after much clarification by brands and professionals, many people are still confused regarding this. We will be clarifying everything in just a bit.

At the federal level, the government approves many CBD products derived from hemp plants, however, individual states are changing the law almost every other month. The federal and the state laws are hence different from each other. So before using any CBD products, it is important that you check with the state laws. This is because failure to comply might result in a fine or imprisonment. As for the FDA, it has not approved any CBD product except for one prescription drug to treat a severe form of seizure disorder in children.

Key Takeaways!

There is no denying the fact that CBD is one of the most amazing products out there. It not only offers some of the most extraordinary benefits but also helps improve the day-to-day life of people. However, its many benefits become redundant when it comes to pregnant women. The product may be completely safe for women or may not impact the fetus’s health at all, but like much else regarding CBD, this is also speculation. To help make the product a reliable one for pregnant women, more research needs to be done.

However, if you are pregnant, you shouldn’t be too sad. You can start using CBD and enjoy its many benefits as soon as you have given birth or as soon as you have done breastfeeding your child. For best results, you can shop from Truemoola.

It is an excellent brand that guarantees standardized CBD products in the form of gummies, oils, and much more. Moreover, its focus on advanced testing and standardization helps provide you with THC-free products. So, if quality and reliability are at the top of your criteria, there is no better store for you than Truemoola.