Grant: Project Grant

Up to one third of women believe that cannabis is safe to use in pregnancy, with women turning to cannabis for relief of pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness. One of the reasons why cannabis is thought to be helpful for morning sickness is that cannabis can act directly on the gut, and especially on the nerves that help the gut move and feel what is in it. We already know that early life is an important time for the formation of the nerves in the gut, and for the nerves that connect the gut to the brain. We also know that influences from the outside world, such as medications taken by the mother, and the way bacteria normally colonize babies, can change how these gut-brain connections work. Our expert team want to find out if a mother's use of cannabis can affect the gut of her baby and lead to problems with feeding, heartburn, abdominal discomfort, and constipation. Parenting people are asking for higher quality information so they can make informed decisions regarding timing and types of cannabis use.