TOPLINE:

Cannabidiol (CBD) use shows similar patterns in pregnant women and women of reproductive age, with approximately 323.4 and 361.3 per 1000 population respectively reporting lifetime use in 2023. Past-month CBD use was notably higher in reproductive-aged women than in pregnant women (113.2 vs 39.3 per 1000 population).

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2022 and 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, incorporating survey sampling weights to estimate CBD use prevalence.
• Analysis included 1344 pregnant women and 87,222 women of reproductive age.
• Participants were identified through a multistage area probability sampling approach within each state and Washington, DC, with states as the first level of stratification.
• Survey responses determined CBD use through questions about ever using CBD or hemp products, with timing of use ascertained through follow-up questions.

TAKEAWAY:

• Similar proportions of pregnant women and reproductive-aged women reported ever using CBD in 2023 (323.4 per 1000 population; 95% CI, 259.2-387.6 vs 361.3 per 1000 population; 95% CI, 353.6-367.0, respectively).
• More reproductive-aged women used CBD within the past 30 days than did pregnant women in 2023 (113.2 per 1000 population; 95% CI, 107.4-118.9 vs 39.3 per 1000 population; 95% CI, 16.2-62.4, respectively).
• The findings demonstrate that nearly 1 in 20 pregnant women reported CBD use in the past 30 days.
• Results align with previously reported CBD use prevalence in the general US adult population, which was 105 per 1000 adults in 2022 (95% CI, 989.6-110.0) for past-month use.

IN PRACTICE:

“Due to unknown effects of CBD during pregnancy and prevalent use, clinicians should screen for CBD use to facilitate counseling patients against use in pregnancy and while breastfeeding,” wrote the authors of the study.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Chidimma Azubuike, PharmD, MA, Department of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. It was published online in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

LIMITATIONS:

According to the authors, the study’s main limitation is its reliance on self-reported information from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which is inherently subject to recall bias.

DISCLOSURES:

The authors reported having no relevant conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.