Table 3.
Agreement with perceived benefits and harms of marijuana use while pregnant and breastfeeding by participants who had ever versus never used marijuana
| Ever Used Marijuana (N = 148) | Never Used Marijuana (N = 245) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strongly Disagree/Disagree (%) | Neutral (%) | Agree/Strongly Agree (%) | Strongly Disagree/Disagree (%) | Neutral (%) | Agree/Strongly Agree (%) | χ2 | |
| Using marijuana while pregnant… | |||||||
| Helps to reduce pain and discomfort | 38.4 | 19.9 | 41.8 | 55.1 | 22.2 | 22.6 | 16.71*** |
| Helps to reduce depression | 53.7 | 23.1 | 23.1 | 70.4 | 17.3 | 12.3 | 12.05** |
| Has no lasting harms for baby | 68.8 | 16.7 | 14.6 | 77.5 | 5.7 | 16.8 | 12.25** |
| Is safe because marijuana is plant-based, natural | 59.3 | 24.1 | 16.6 | 73.3 | 16.6 | 10.1 | 8.32* |
| Helps reduce morning sickness, nausea | 57.1 | 19.7 | 23.1 | 80.2 | 12.1 | 7.7 | 26.67*** |
| Makes it hard for child to pay attention, learn | 20.7 | 24.1 | 55.2 | 15.7 | 12.5 | 71.8 | 12.51** |
| Lowers child’s IQ | 24.0 | 22.6 | 53.4 | 14.2 | 15.4 | 70.4 | 11.74** |
| Leads to baby being addicted to THC | 31.0 | 20.0 | 49.0 | 10.8 | 11.2 | 78.0 | 36.38*** |
| Increases risk of behavioral problems | 20.7 | 23.4 | 55.9 | 12.4 | 7.0 | 80.6 | 30.35*** |
| Increases risk of damage to baby’s brain | 18.8 | 19.4 | 61.8 | 11.6 | 8.7 | 79.8 | 15.49*** |
| Increases risk of preterm birth | 24.0 | 24.7 | 51.4 | 23.6 | 9.3 | 67.1 | 17.96*** |
| Increases risk of low birth weight | 26.0 | 24.0 | 50.0 | 21.5 | 11.0 | 67.5 | 15.17*** |
| Increases risk of pregnancy complications | 18.1 | 25.0 | 56.9 | 18.8 | 9.0 | 72.2 | 18.83*** |
| Using marijuana while breastfeeding… | |||||||
| Helps to reduce pain and discomfort | 32.4 | 17.9 | 49.7 | 54.2 | 17.9 | 27.9 | 21.13*** |
| Helps to reduce depression | 40.0 | 27.6 | 32.4 | 65.0 | 17.7 | 17.3 | 23.43*** |
| Has no lasting harms for baby | 57.4 | 25.5 | 17.0 | 79.1 | 11.7 | 9.1 | 20.08*** |
| Is safe because marijuana is plant-based, natural | 61.1 | 26.4 | 12.5 | 79.8 | 13.2 | 7.0 | 15.92*** |
| Helps to increase mother’s milk supply | 65.7 | 26.6 | 7.7 | 75.0 | 16.0 | 9.0 | 6.35* |
| Helps calm the baby | 62.5 | 28.5 | 9.0 | 83.2 | 9.7 | 7.1 | 24.45*** |
| Makes it hard for child to pay attention, learn | 27.5 | 20.4 | 52.1 | 20.7 | 12.4 | 66.9 | 8.74* |
| Lowers the child’s IQ | 23.9 | 26.1 | 50.0 | 18.7 | 13.7 | 67.6 | 13.23*** |
| Leads to baby being addicted to THC | 31.0 | 22.5 | 46.5 | 13.6 | 12.3 | 74.1 | 30.04*** |
| Increases risk of behavioral problems | 25.4 | 22.5 | 52.1 | 15.7 | 7.0 | 77.3 | 29.53*** |
| Increases risk of damage to baby’s brain | 24.6 | 18.3 | 57.0 | 14.1 | 10.8 | 75.1 | 13.50*** |
Note. *p < .050, **p < .010, ***p < .001. Of the total sample, five participants did not report their marijuana use and so their responses were not included in these analyses