Cannabis News
Anti sickness for pregnancy – Cannabis may hold the key
Anti sickness for pregnancy – Expectant mothers have plenty to contend with, but one of the most common issues they face is pregnancy-related nausea.
Above 50% of pregnant women experience it, and the nausea can hit at any time of day, and sometimes last for hours of the day.
It can be incredibly debilitating for some, varying widely in severity from mild to causing them to be completely unable to eat.
This is known medically as Hyperemesis Gravidarum and is currently treated by a number of different drugs available either over the counter or privately.
The sad fact is many women find that certain drugs don’t work for them, and that not being able to eat because of the nausea can have serious inmplications for them and their baby, including low birth weight, miscarriages, encephalopathy and depression in the mothers.
A recent study by researchers from University of California, Los Angeles in association with Oregon’s Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation polled 550 patients who experienced nausea whilst they were pregnant.
Almost all of the respondents (96%) said they had used some form of anti-emetic medication, and a smaller sample (14%) has said they had tried marijuana to alleviate their symptoms.
The majority of those who had tried cannabis cited ineffecive anti-emetics as the primary reason for them seeking alternative treatment, and those who did said they were able to find symptomatic relief, and it was effective in helping them to put on some weight.
“This study adds to the growing literature supporting anti-emetic properties of cannabis and cannabinoid compounds while also suggesting their potential to treat HG. A minority of respondents in this survey reported using cannabis for HG; however, those who used cannabis or CBPs [cannabis-based products] reported more frequent relief from HG symptoms compared to those who used prescription anti-emetics,” the researchers concluded.
The study added: “Cannabis products may be perceived as a more effective alternative, but more research is required to understand its mechanism and safety… in the meantime, providers must weigh unknown risks of recommending cannabis. With the well-established risk of adverse and fetal outcomes for refractory HG.”
Anti-sickness for pregnancy - Further studies
In 2021 another study by UNM (University of New Mexico) authors analysed symptoms of 2,200 particpants within an hour of them using cannabis, and discovered that the majority (96%) reported experiencing relief from their symptoms in less than 60 minutes.
“Despite increasing clinical concerns regarding cyclical vomiting or hyperemesis syndrome in cannabis users, almost all users experienced relief,” explains UNM assistant professor and study author, Sarah Stith.
“The mechanisms behind cannabis’ ability to rapidly reduce feelings of nausea are not fully clear, but like involve the plant’s ability to activate CB1 receptor responses to other stimuli in the central nervous system, such as the insular cortex, which is involved in interoception, conscious awareness of internal bodily states, and an example of a brain region that is naturally modulated in part by endocannabinoids that naturally develop in the human body. Therefore, it is unsurprising that phytocannabinoids that develop in the Cannabis plant are also effective at stimulating similar brain regions,” explains co-author Jacob Vigil, an associate professor at UNM.
It’s no surprise that more women are turning to marijuana to treat Hyperemesis Gravidarum.
With more expectant mothers medicating with cannabis for uncontrollable nausea, there are now more safer options than ever to do so.
You are no longer confined to pharmaceutical drugs for treating this condition while pregnant.
