As marijuana becomes more socially accepted and legally accessible across the country, many people—including pregnant women—are left wondering: Is it safe to use marijuana while pregnant? The short answer is: no amount of marijuana use during pregnancy has been proven safe.
While some expectant mothers turn to marijuana to ease nausea, anxiety, or sleep issues, research increasingly shows that marijuana use during pregnancy can have serious effects on both mother and baby.
At Casa Flores, Hanley Center’s dedicated residential treatment program for pregnant and postpartum women, we support women who are navigating pregnancy, recovery, and the complex emotions that come with both. Many of the women we serve didn’t plan to become dependent on substances like marijuana; they wanted to feel better. However, the consequences of prenatal marijuana use—both for the baby and for the mother—can be serious and lasting.
The Truth About Marijuana and Pregnancy
Marijuana contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), its primary psychoactive ingredient. THC crosses the placenta and reaches the developing fetus, directly impacting brain development during a crucial stage of growth. This exposure can have lifelong effects on a child’s health and development. This means that when a pregnant person uses marijuana—whether by smoking, vaping, or edibles—the baby is also exposed.
Potential risks to the baby include:
- Low birth weight
- Preterm birth
- Stillbirth
- Developmental delays
- Behavioral and attention disorders later in life
- Disruption of normal brain development, particularly in areas linked to memory and learning
Although research is still ongoing, studies consistently suggest a connection between prenatal marijuana exposure and problems with emotional regulation, sleep patterns, and executive functioning in children.
Even more concerning is that marijuana today is often far more potent than it was in decades past, increasing the level of exposure to THC for both mother and baby.
Why Some Mothers Use Marijuana During Pregnancy
Many pregnant women who use marijuana aren’t trying to be reckless—they’re trying to cope. Symptoms like morning sickness, anxiety, insomnia, or trauma-related stress can feel overwhelming, and some may believe marijuana is a natural or safer option compared to prescription medications.
However, self-medicating with marijuana during pregnancy can increase the risk of complications and interfere with maternal-infant bonding, especially when cannabis use masks underlying mental health issues or past trauma.
How Marijuana Use Affects the Mother During Pregnancy
While much of the public discussion around marijuana use and pregnancy focuses on the baby, it’s also important to understand how marijuana affects the mother during this vulnerable time.
Risks to the mother’s health include:
- Increased anxiety and mood instability – While some people turn to marijuana to manage stress or emotional discomfort, regular use can worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression, particularly during the hormonal shifts of pregnancy.
- Poor sleep quality – Marijuana may initially seem to help with sleep, but it can disrupt normal sleep cycles over time, leading to increased fatigue, irritability, and emotional dysregulation.
- Impaired judgment and reaction time – This is especially concerning for women caring for young children or navigating daily life with added physical and emotional demands.
- Greater difficulty managing co-occurring mental health conditions – Women with underlying trauma, PTSD, or mood disorders may experience heightened symptoms, especially if marijuana use masks deeper emotional struggles rather than addressing them through therapy and support.
- Marijuana use during pregnancy also raises the risk of delayed prenatal care, poor nutrition, and isolation—all of which can negatively impact maternal and infant health outcomes.
Casa Flores: A Healing Place for Moms and Babies
At Casa Flores, we understand that substance use during pregnancy is often a symptom of deeper struggles, not a failure of motherhood. Casa Flores was designed specifically to support pregnant and postpartum women in recovery by offering the highest level of clinical care in a nurturing and nonjudgmental environment.
What We Provide:
- A dedicated doula trained by Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies of Palm Beach County to provide continuous birth and postpartum support
- Mother-baby suites, allowing postpartum women to remain in treatment while bonding with and caring for their newborns
- Individualized, trauma-informed therapy to address underlying emotional pain, mental health challenges, and addiction
- Medical and psychiatric support focused on the unique needs of pregnancy and recovery
- Parenting classes and early childhood development education empowering women to build strong, healthy families
- A nurturing community of peers and professionals who understand that healing is possible—even after years of struggle
We also focus on preventing foster care placement whenever possible by helping mothers stabilize, reunite, and thrive.
You Deserve Compassionate, Evidence-Based Care
If you’re pregnant and using marijuana—or struggling with any substance—you are not alone. We understand the fear, shame, and uncertainty that can surround addiction during pregnancy. At Casa Flores, we meet every woman with compassion, dignity, and hope, because we know that you are not alone in this journey.
You don’t have to do this alone. With the proper support, you can reclaim your health, protect your baby’s future, and begin a new chapter built on strength and connection.
Every mother deserves a chance to heal. Every baby deserves a healthy start. And recovery is possible.
Hanley Center has been helping people all over the country achieve wellness for more than 40 years. In addition to providing age- and gender-specific treatment for substance use and co-occurring disorders, Hanley offers a Patriots Program for first responders and veterans, a program specifically for pregnant women, and a boutique residential mental health program for adults. For information on our programs, call us today: 561-841-1033.
