Is it Safe to Take CBD While Pregnant?
Pregnancy is a time where most people are extremely focused on their wellness. Even if you weren’t the kind of person to carefully track everything you eat and take multivitamins at any point in your life, the growing baby in your body probably changes your priorities.
Anything that promises to promote your health or wellness automatically becomes attractive. You’re thinking about the health of the life you’re growing, and you’ll leave no stone unturned in your quest to secure everything you need for yourself and your baby.
CBD is often touted as a popular wellness supplement. It boasts a ton of benefits, and many of those benefits seem appealing when you’re pregnant. Don’t pick up the tincture just yet. There are a few things you should know about using CBD during pregnancy.
What is CBD and How Does it Work?
CBD is short for cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a cannabinoid found in cannabis. CBD is very similar to the cannabinoids produced by the human body.
The human body’s endocannabinoid system is massive. There are receptors within nearly every system that supports regular function within your body. The body makes its own cannabinoids for stimulating this system, but it also responds to cannabinoids from other sources.
CBD interacts with these receptors and inspires them, stimulating the endocannabinoid system and improving its ability to support your body. As a result of this support, many people experience better sleep quality, enhanced athletic recovery, increased mental clarity, and reduced mental and physical tension.
Does CBD Get You High?
Although CBD and THC come from the same plant, THC is much different. THC binds to the receptors and changes their messaging rather than inspiring the endocannabinoid system to do a better job performing its regular functions. It’s this shift in messaging that causes the experience of feeling high.
Medical cannabis patients may benefit from these changes in messaging. Recreational cannabis users simply enjoy the effects THC imparts.
Since CBD doesn’t bind to receptors and change the messages your body and brain send back and forth, it won’t get you high. CBD lets your body run its own agenda. It simply encourages it to do so more efficiently.
Does CBD Oil Contain THC?
Most CBD products are derived from hemp plants. Hemp plants are cannabis plants that contain 0.3% or less THC. The resulting hemp extract will also include a small amount of THC.
This isn’t enough THC to get you high, but it is enough THC to accumulate in your system over time. This could lead to a failed drug test for cannabis use, even though you didn’t actually use cannabis.
Some companies attempt to remove the resulting THC from cannabis extract, creating broad-spectrum CBD products, but there’s no way to guarantee that every trace of THC will be removed successfully.
Peels is an exception. We make our CBD from orange peels, which do not contain any naturally-occurring THC. Peels CBD is always 100% THC-free.
Is CBD Safe to Use?
CBD is generally recognized as safe for most people to use. CBD itself isn’t known to cause any harm to adults. It’s tolerated well, even in high doses. There are no addictive properties, and there is no risk for substance abuse.
That having been said, everyone is different. CBD may be safe for most people, but plenty of people, especially those who are taking medication or living with a condition that requires continuous medical care, should ask their care professional before using CBD.
Is CBD Safe During Pregnancy?
CBD use is only recently common in society, and no valuable research has been conducted on CBD and pregnancy. There are many ethical concerns about using pregnant people as test subjects. This creates barriers to discovery.
Researchers cannot ask pregnant people to take CBD without knowing the harm it can potentially cause to a growing fetus. The fetus would be considered an involuntary test subject because it is incapable of providing informed consent.
Because of this, we may never know if CBD is safe during pregnancy. Some animal tests have shown anomalies in the reproductive system of male animals exposed to very high levels of CBD in utero, and researchers don’t know if or how those effects would translate to humans or how much CBD would cause similar effects.
We may never know if CBD is safe for pregnant women due to the nature of the tests that would be required.
The FDA also raises concerns about potential contaminants in CBD products that haven’t been properly lab tested. As many as 25% of CBD products are never sent for testing by an independent third-party lab before selling the products, and this should always be cause for concern.
Pregnant or not, no one should use CBD that hasn’t been tested for safety and purity.
Another concern is THC in CBD. Studies have already demonstrated that THC is unsafe during pregnancy and should always be avoided. Since most CBD products contain trace amounts of THC, this would automatically exclude them during pregnancy.
Can Nursing Women Use CBD?
CBD likely passes through breast milk, which means that the breastfed infant will receive CBD or its metabolites. CBD has not been studied in babies, and it’s only been studied in toddlers with rare seizure disorders. We don’t know if CBD in breast milk can be damaging to the growth and development of a newborn and for what reason it’s wise to avoid using CBD while breastfeeding.
Is it Safe to Use CBD While Trying to Conceive?
If you’re trying to conceive, you could become pregnant at any time. You may not immediately know that you are pregnant.
Cannabinoids could be accumulating in your system as your fetus is forming, and your body will continue to release stored cannabinoids for a few weeks after you stop. It’s best to avoid CBD when you’re attempting to conceive because it is almost inevitable that your baby will ultimately come into contact with some level of CBD.
What Can Be Used Instead of CBD During Pregnancy?
Pregnancy, although ultimately rewarding, can be one of the most physically and mentally taxing experiences in someone’s life. The need to promote relaxation and better sleep throughout pregnancy is very common. Many people find they need a little extra help staying comfortable and positive throughout their pregnancy.
Replacing CBD with another relaxation ritual, like chamomile tea, journaling, or yoga, is a better and safer idea. Pregnancy warrants a lot of “me” time. Take naps. Enjoy your favorite snacks. Live in your sweatpants. Don’t be too hard on yourself when you can’t approach your to-do list. Cut yourself as much slack as you need. As long as you’re prioritizing your health and wellness and adhering to your prenatal care plan, that’s all that matters.
When Can I Resume Taking CBD?
If you don’t plan on breastfeeding your newborn, you might be clear to start taking CBD immediately after giving birth. However, If you’ve been prescribed any medications following childbirth, you shouldn’t take CBD until you get your doctor’s approval.
Your doctor may want you to complete your course of medication before you return to using CBD following childbirth, and it’s crucially important to follow those instructions.
The body has a lot of essential needs when recovering from pregnancy and childbirth, and you should never modify the plan that your care professional has set in place without first seeking and receiving permission.
If you’re breastfeeding, wait until your baby is completely weaned before using CBD. This is also true for extended breastfeeding.
The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for up to two years. If you’re following those guidelines, you should abstain from CBD throughout the entire duration of breastfeeding
Peels is Here When You’re Ready to Resume
As soon as your doctor says it’s safe to resume CBD use, Peels is here for you.
Our fresh-squeezed orange peel-derived CBD doesn’t contain any THC, making it a better choice for wellness-conscious consumers who are uncomfortable with the idea of taking THC or unable to use THC.
We’ll be happy to get you back in the swing of your pre-pregnancy wellness routine one drop at a time.
Sources:
The Endocannabinoid System, Our Universal Regulator | Journal of Young Investigators
New Report Finds 25% Off CBD Products Are Not Tested For Purity | Forbes
Exclusive breastfeeding for six months best for babies everywhere | World Health Organization