Cannabis, tobacco, and drug use lead to increased stillbirth risk

Using tobacco, cannabis, or illicit drugs during pregnancy increases the risk of stillbirths, according to a recent study published in the journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Exposure to second-hand smoke during pregnancy also increases the risk.

From March 2006 to September 2008, the Stillbirth Collaborative Research Network conducted a case-control study in which umbilical cord samples were collected from stillbirths and liveborn controls and frozen for later analysis for cotinine, according to the study abstract.

“Both maternal self-reported smoking history and maternal serum cotinine levels were associated in a dose-response relationship with stillbirth,” according to the study. “Positive serum cotinine less than 3 ng/mL and no reported history of smoking (proxy for passive smoke exposure) also were associated with stillbirth (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.24-3.41).”

The relevance of the study’s findings could become more important as the legalization of cannabis increases, the study’s authors noted.

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