The use of CBD during pregnancy is an increasingly hot topic. Experts note that pregnant women try CBD, or cannabidiol, products for a variety of reasons: hormonal imbalance, frequent mood swings, decreased appetite, persistent nausea, etc. But is the effect of this product really proven and safe? It’s time to answer this question!
What is CBD?
CBD, or cannabidiol, is an all-natural compound found in the hemp plant. Hemp contains hundreds of different compounds that have a wide range of effects on the human and animal body. CBD is no exception.
Granted, due to a lack of information, people sometimes confuse cannabidiol with tetrahydrocannabidol, or THC. These are two very different substances, although both are derived from the hemp plant.
THC has a psychoactive effect: it can cause hallucinogenic effects or intoxication. Although products sold in Lithuania have a maximum THC content of 0.2%, this substance is not safe during pregnancy.
Meanwhile, CBD is not psychoactive and does not cause side effects or allergies. That’s the main difference. CBD provides a different effect: it helps relax, suppresses inflammatory processes, improves sleep, deals with stress and much more.
Once in the body, cannabidiol interacts with your endocannabinoid system (ECS). It is a completely natural, biological system made up of endocannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems of vertebrates. The endocannabinoid system is still being studied, but it is likely to be closely related to the regulation of physiological and cognitive processes, including fertility, pregnancy, foetal development, immune system functions, appetite, pain perception, mood, memory, and many other vital functions.
Well-being during pregnancy
Pregnant women experience different symptoms that change their body, emotional state and lifestyle throughout the nine months. Most women experience more or less pain in the back, legs and other parts of the bodies, fatigue, moodiness and nausea, which may or may not include vomiting, during at least one stage of pregnancy. Some women also deal with anxiety and depression.
Although doctors consider many of these symptoms normal, this does not mean you have to suffer. Some symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, a bad mood and constant pain in various parts of the body, can cause discomfort to the mother. Unpleasant emotional and physical changes, biochemical processes in the brain can also lead to depression or anxiety disorders and harm the unborn child.
That’s why, in some cases, doctors prescribe expectant mothers painkillers or even anti-depressants. Unfortunately, the problem with these medications is that they have side effects and can make things even more complicated. With this in mind, mothers are trying to find alternative solutions with fewer or no side effects. CBD is a perfect example.
CBD and pregnancy: benefits
Some of the main benefits that pregnant women notice when taking CBD oil or capsules include the following.
CBD successfully suppresses nausea and vomiting
Nausea is a common symptom during pregnancy. This is due to increased hormone levels and changes in hormone activity. Cannabidiol interacts with various receptors and stimulates the release of the hormone serotonin in the body. It relieves stress and normalises hormonal activity, allowing expectant mothers to cope with nausea and vomiting more easily.
CBD relieves stress and anxiety
Another common pregnancy symptom is anxiety. If left untreated, this condition can worsen and harm the unborn baby. That is why women use CBD, which works together with the endocannabinoid system and provides a calming effect, helping not only to relieve stress, but also to sleep better.
Cannabidiol can help with mood swings
Mood swings during pregnancy are caused by hormonal imbalances. While this condition is normal, doctors note that drastic mood swings can affect a woman’s productivity, personal and social life throughout pregnancy. CBD interacts with different receptors in the brain responsible for mood and helps to ease the emotional state, relax and mitigate mood swings.
CBD can relieve pregnancy pains
Another common condition during pregnancy is pain in the abdomen, joints, back and other parts of the body. CBD works with the endocannabinoid system to prevent the absorption of the anandamide hormone. Anandamide is a lesser known but very important hormone: it is an endocannabinoid found in the human endocannabinoid system that helps relieve pain and improve mood. CBD increases its amount in the body, which reduces pain and makes pregnant women feel much more comfortable.
CBD and pregnancy: what do experts say?
While CBD products are used by a wide range of people, from athletes to cancer patients, very little research has looked into the effects of CBD on pregnant women. Although no negative effects of CBD have been found yet, doctors advise expectant mothers to refrain from cannadiol products that contain THC.
As CBD oil and other hemp products gain huge interest, more research will be done on the effects of cannabidiol on pregnant women in the future. Hopefully, they will substantiate the benefits of CBD for expectant mothers and prove the safety of this product.
Safe use of CBD
Although the safety of CBD for pregnant women is not 100% proven, many women around the world say that using CBD during pregnancy has helped them in many ways: it improved their general well-being, strengthened their immune system, helped deal with nausea, etc. However, please note that if you plan to use CBD oil during pregnancy, you should opt for a THC-free extract. Hempo offers THC-free CBD oil.
In most cases, you should take CBD orally to increase its effectiveness and shorten the time it takes to feel the positive effects. The only problem with oral use is that CBD is transported in the bloodstream. It means that CBD can also affect the foetus. That’s why moms-to-be need another method of taking CBD.
The best way is to do it locally: choose the right oil (CBD extract) and apply it to the desired areas of the body. This way, cannabidiol does not affect the foetus and penetrates directly into the problem area, while you can enjoy excellent results without endangering the foetus.
Although CBD has practically no side effects, you should consult a competent doctor before using cannabidiol oil and other cannabidiol products. Only then can you be sure that CBD will not have any side effects during pregnancy.
