Using marijuana during pregnancy is linked to poor fetal development, low infant birth weight, dangerously early deliveries and even death, according to a new meta-analysis of research:

CNN
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Using marijuana during pregnancy is linked to poor fetal development, low infant birth weight, dangerously early deliveries and even death, according to a new meta-analysis of research.

Rica Madrid poses for a photograph as she smokes pot in her home on the first day of legal possession of marijuana for recreational purposes, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015, in Washington. Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser defied threats from Congress by implementing a voter-approved initiative on Thursday, making the city the only place east of the Mississippi River where people can legally grow and share marijuana in private. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“The most striking finding is the increased risk of perinatal mortality — death either during the pregnancy or shortly after the pregnancy,” said obstetrician and lead study author Dr. Jamie Lo, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and urology in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland.

Prior work we’ve done shows prenatal cannabis use impacts fetal lung function and development, reducing the baby’s lung volume,” Lo said. “We’ve also found that there is significantly decreased blood flow and oxygen availability in the placenta. These are the likely underlying mechanisms driving some of our findings.”