Feasibility study to measure Neurodevelopmental outcomes in babies exposed to Cannabis in utero in Hamilton (FiNCH)

Recreational use of cannabis has been decriminalized in many regions of North America, including legalization in Canada in 2018. Currently, it is estimated that at least one-quarter of people have used a cannabis product in the past year; this number has been impacted by COVID-19 with about half of users reporting an increase in use since the start of the pandemic [1,2]. There has also been a documented increase in the use of cannabis during pregnancy in Canada, with post-legalization data in Hamilton revealing that 11% of women report using cannabis at some point during pregnancy [3]. Although there is no recognized medical indication for the use of cannabis during pregnancy, studies show that up to one-third of women in North America believe that cannabis is safe to use for pregnancy-associated nausea [4]. The perceived safety of cannabis use to relieve nausea and symptoms of “morning sickness” is of significant concern as this entails regular cannabis consumption during the first trimester, a period critical for fetal neurodevelopment. 

FiNCH is a pilot study to assess the feasibility of undertaking a prospective cohort study to answer the research question of the impact of cannabis exposure in utero on neurodevelopmental outcomes in babies and toddlers. FiNCH aims to investigate the components of a prospective cohort study, including recruitment, enrollment, follow-up, engagement, and data completion, as well as any notable developmental differences in babies exposed and not exposed to cannabis in utero. 

Our goal is to employ feminist participatory research principles to support the involvement of pregnant or parenting individuals who consume or have consumed cannabis in developing an ethically responsive approach to participant engagement [5,6]. Elevating the voices of individuals who have and are consuming cannabis throughout the perinatal period and beyond, can play a critical role in creating pathways for best practices in health care, with the potential to improve relationships, communication and trust between individuals who consume cannabis, researchers, and their healthcare providers. We also want to respond to the questions that pregnant and parenting people who consume cannabis are asking to ensure they feel supported by the health care system to make their own informed decisions.