Mental Health
Maternal perinatal cannabis use disorders and the risk of anxiety disorders in offspring: Insights from a longitudinal data-linkage cohort study Abay Woday Tadesse* Abay Woday Tadesse Getinet Ayano Berihun Assefa Dachew Kim Betts Rosa Alati
Abstract
Background: Cannabis use is rising among women of reproductive age, yet research on its impact on childhood anxiety disorders remains limited. This study examines whether maternal cannabis use disorder (CUD) during pregnancy and postpartum periods is associated with a higher risk of anxiety disorders in offspring.
Methods: We used linked health data from New South Wales, Australia, covering live births from 2003 to 2005. ICD-10 coded maternal CUD and child anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), phobic anxiety disorder (PAD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and early childhood-onset anxiety disorders (CAD), were extracted from patient records. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with log-binomial regression estimated the risk of anxiety disorders linked to maternal CUD exposure.
Results: After adjusting for covariates, offspring prenatally exposed to maternal CUD had an increased risk of any anxiety disorder [adjusted risk ratio (aRR) = 1.79 (95% CI 1.40, 2.26)]; specifically PTSD [aRR = 2.46 (95% CI 1.78, 3.33)], GAD [aRR = 2.18 (95% CI 1.03, 4.60)], and CADs [aRR = 1.91 (95% CI 1.05, 4.60)], compared to non-exposed offspring. Postnatal CUD exposure was also associated with an increased risk of any anxiety disorder [aRR = 2.02 (95% CI 1.22, 3.14)] and specifically PTSD [aRR = 2.97 (95% CI 1.56, 5.17)]. These associations remained consistent in sensitivity analyses excluding maternal tobacco use disorders.
Conclusion: Both in-utero and postnatal CUD exposures are associated with increased risks of anxiety disorders in offspring. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, including perinatal counselling, to reduce anxiety risks in offspring.