Grant: Operating Grant: ECI grants in Maternal, Reproductive, Child & Youth Health

Lifestyle behaviours are essential determinants of healthy pregnancies and offspring. Women who use substances such as cannabis, opioids, cocaine, or psychedelic drugs during pregnancy are at risk for complications, and there are potential lasting developmental effects in their children. Substance use is becoming more common due to environmental pressures (COVID-19) and decriminalization. Our study will attempt to understand the impacts of substance use on pregnant women and their offspring. We will look at the medical and delivery records for more than 1 million mothers in Ontario. We will follow children with and without exposure to substances over several years to monitor their health and development changes. Our results will inform women, medical practitioners, and the government on the risks of substance use in pregnancy and inform women and their providers to make safe and healthy pregnancy decisions.