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Study of the impact of CBD consumption during pregnancy on fetal development: a systematic review of the literature.

Marc BESNIER

CBD is experiencing massive growth in current consumption. It is used during pregnancy to manage pain, anxiety, and sleep disorders. It is estimated that 20% of women in certain populations consume it at least once. Sometimes it replaces THC, which is known to have effects on pregnancy and fetal development. CBD may contain significant levels of THC, which could already have an impact.Does CBD have the same effects as THC on pregnancy and fetal development?Systematic review of the literature in accordance with PRISMA criteria. Declaration made to Prospero in 2023. Blind collection by two investigators using RAYYAN software. Search of PubMed, Lissa, Psychinfo, Embase, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases for gray literature.112 references analyzed, 6 studies selected with 7 additional in vitro studies for further analysis. Four ex vivo case-control studies and two descriptive epidemiological studies The studies show that CBD consumption during pregnancy has an impact on the fetus, with an increased risk to fetal development, particularly through an increase in congenital and hormonal abnormalities during life in utero, as well as an increased risk of gonadal and tumor abnormalities in the long term. CBD has been shown to alter the placental barrier, increasing the fetus's exposure to harmful substances.There is a risk of fetal pathology associated with CBD use. Complications during pregnancy are also reported in the studies reviewed. These risks are significant, especially given the increase in consumption. Women are rarely asked about their consumption habits. Conducting research to better understand the concerns of pregnant women and their needs would be a first step toward improving care and reducing consumption. Systematizing our questions would also allow us to better understand consumption and conduct more robust studies on the effects on pregnancy and fetal development. Strength: first systematic review of the literature on the subject, exhaustive, conducted blind by two reviewers Weakness: low quality of studies, low recruitmentThe general practitioner plays a central role in preventing this risk to pregnancy and the fetus, and we must take advantage of this to avoid the consequences.