Perceptions and Prevalence of Cannabis Use in Women With Inflammatory Bowel Disease of Reproductive Age: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study finds that many women with inflammatory bowel disease are unsure about the risks of using cannabis during pregnancy and rarely discuss it with their healthcare providers.

Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence and perceptions of cannabis use among reproductive-age women with IBD.

Findings

18.6% of pregnant women with IBD reported using cannabis.

52.0% of participants were unsure about the risks of cannabis use during pregnancy.

Only 14.7% of women had ever discussed cannabis use with their healthcare providers.

Abstract

Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may use cannabis for relief of symptoms. During pregnancy, however, cannabis exposure may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aimed to determine the prevalence and perceptions of cannabis use in women with IBD.

Through recruitment at Mount Sinai Hospital and online platforms such as Twitter, women with IBD (age 18–45) were asked to complete anonymous surveys on demographics, cannabis use, perception of use during pregnancy, and discussing its use with healthcare providers (HCP). Categorical variables were reported as frequencies and compared across groups with the chi-square test.

One-hundred and two pregnant patients with IBD were included in this study, 19 (18.6%) reported using cannabis. Current users were more likely to report constant pain in the last 12 months and discuss its use with their HCP. Fifty-three (52.0%) women were unsure of the specific risks associated with cannabis use during pregnancy, and only 15 (14.7%) had ever discussed its use with their HCP. Those who had discussed cannabis use with their HCP were more likely to have prior IBD-related surgery, perceive its use unsafe during pregnancy, and be more likely to be using cannabis.

Many women with IBD report uncertainty of the risks of cannabis use during pregnancy and the majority have never discussed cannabis use with their providers. With the increasing legalization of cannabis in many jurisdictions, it is imperative patients and healthcare providers discuss the risks and benefits of its use, particularly during vulnerable times such as pregnancy.

Figures