Contextualized Effects of Maternal Cannabis During Pregnancy on Postnatal Outcomes and Childhood Alcohol Sipping in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Project Open Access

Abstract

It is suspected that prenatal cannabis exposure might interfere with fetal development and pose a significant risk for several negative postnatal outcomes, early initiation of substances of abuse, and behavioral disruptions, including delinquent and aggressive behaviors. Taken together, this is concerning as early substance initiation has been linked with being diagnosed with an alcohol use disorder or other substance use disorder in adulthood as well as several secondary problems. Few studies have examined the prospective effect of prenatal cannabis exposure on postnatal outcomes and alcohol sipping in the context of known maternal and familial confounders. The current study addressed this question using 11,878 children and their mothers from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Maternal and familial confounders were accounted for using propensity scores and together with maternal reporting of cannabis use during pregnancy were used as predictors of rare birth outcomes and alcohol sipping in childhood. Logistic regression models using 15 maternal risk factors robustly classified mothers who ‘did smoke’ versus ‘did not smoke’ during pregnancy. Additionally, mothers reporting of maternal cannabis use during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of alcohol sipping in children. However, this association did not survive correction for maternal and familial confounders. Interestingly, propensity for prenatal cannabis exposure was associated with not breathing at birth. Despite no direct effect of prenatal cannabis exposure on alcohol sipping, mediation analysis indicated significant indirect effects of cannabis use during pregnancy and propensity for maternal cannabis use during pregnancy on childhood alcohol sipping via childhood externalizing behaviors. In utero cannabis exposure may play a role in alcohol sipping behavior in childhood as well as some understudied birth outcomes however, these effects may be better attributed to maternal/familial behaviors and a broader set of child-level externalizing behaviors.

Table of Contents

 

PAGE

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………….

iv

LIST OF TABLES……………………………………………………………………...

vii

LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………….

ix

INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………………...

1

The Importance of Maternal Confounders in Prenatal Exposure Studies………

2

Cannabis Effects on Postnatal Outcomes……………………………………….

4

Effects of Maternal Cannabis During Pregnancy on Substance Use…………...

9

Study Goals…………………………………………………………………......

11

METHODS……………………………………………………………………………..

12

Participants……………………………………………………………………...

12

Measures………………………………………………………………………..

13

Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………...

15

RESULTS………………………………………………………………………………

17

Sample Descriptives……………………………………………………………

17

Propensity for MCDP in Mothers………………………………………………

17

Effects of MCDP on Birth Outcomes………………………….……………….

18

Effects of MCDP on Offspring Substance Misuse using Propensity for MCDP

19

Direct and Indirect MCDP and Propensity for MCDP effects on Externalizing Behaviors and Childhood Alcohol Sipping ……………………………………

 

19

DISCUSSION………………………………………………………………………….

20

Summary………………………………………………………………………..

20

REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………,

27

TABLES AND FIGURES……………………………………………………………...

46

APPENDIX……………………………………………………………………………..

59

About this Master's Thesis

Rights statement

• Permission granted by the author to include this thesis or dissertation in this repository. All rights reserved by the author. Please contact the author for information regarding the reproduction and use of this thesis or dissertation.

School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Psychology
Subfield / Discipline	Clinical Psychology
Degree	M.A.
Submission	Master's Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Clinical
Keyword	Prenatal Cannabis Exposure Birth Outcomes Substance Misuse
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Rohan H.C. Palmer, Emory University
Committee Members	Eugene Emory, Emory University Sherryl Goodman, Emory University Valerie Knopik, Purdue University

Last modified

Primary PDF

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions
	Contextualized Effects of Maternal Cannabis During Pregnancy on Postnatal Outcomes and Childhood Alcohol Sipping in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Project ()	2022-04-10 15:15:10 -0400	Press to Select an action Download

Supplemental Files

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Actions