When Tatiana Sanchez became pregnant with her son in 2020, she dealt with severe nausea and constant vomiting, but no treatment seemed to work.
The 30-year-old was desperate to find a solution for her hyperemesis gravidarum, the most severe form of nausea and vomiting that’s worse than the usual morning sickness.
After exhausting all her other options, Sanchez turned to an unconventional and often controversial treatment — marijuana.
She had been offered Zofran, a drug used to treat severe vomiting and nausea, but felt “the potential risks during the first trimester outweighed the benefits” based on her own research. Diclegis, a medication specifically formulated for pregnancy, was the safer option — but it was unavailable due to shortages.
“I chose to use cannabis then out of desperation, because I believed it posed fewer risks than the pharmaceuticals offered to me,” the entrepreneur and cannabis educator told The Post. “Despite multiple emergency room visits and consultations, the support I received was limited.”
Doctors have long warned against marijuana use during pregnancy, citing serious health risks to the baby.
A meta-analysis of more than 51 studies with over 21 million pregnant women, published this May, linked marijuana consumption to poor fetal development, low infant birth weight, dangerously early deliveries and even death.
Low birth weights nearly doubled with use, and preterm births increased by 50%.
But Sanchez is one of several women who are increasingly using marijuana while pregnant, despite this research, giving the term “plant mom” a whole new meaning.
In fact, a recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 6.8% of expectant moms used from 2021–2023, with most choosing to smoke, followed by vaping and edible.
“Cannabis use in pregnancy has risen over the years, with rates reported between 3 and 20%, and the highest use reported in the first trimester,” reports Dr. Esther Chung, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist at HRC Fertility Clinic. “Many patients say it helps with stress, anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain or nausea.”
Those symptoms were a real problem for Sophie Watkins, a 36-year-old health and life coach.
“[Everything] triggered vomiting. Inhaling cannabis vapor was the only method my body could tolerate, and it provided near-instant relief.”
Riley Kirk
“I was struggling with nausea, restless legs syndrome and high stress,” Watkins said. “Cannabis, in microdoses, was the one thing that consistently brought me relief without the heavy side effects of other pharmaceuticals.”
When she really needed relief, she said, she “averaged about two to three times per week.”
Others may reach for a joint when they can’t tolerate any other treatments or need instant relief — which was the case for Riley Kirk, CEO of the Network of Applied Pharmacognosy and a cannabis research scientist, educator and author.
“During my pregnancy, I chose to consume very small doses of cannabis on only a few occasions to manage persistent migraines,” the 31-year-old mother clarified.
Kirk couldn’t keep any medication down during her migraine episodes due to nausea.
“Even Zofran, which dissolves in the mouth, triggered vomiting,” she recalled. “Inhaling cannabis vapor was the only method my body could tolerate, and it provided near-instant relief.”
Carefully considering the risks
For all three women, the decision to turn to pot while carrying a baby didn’t come lightly.
“My focus was entirely on intentional, minimal and safe consumption to support my health and my son’s,” said Sanchez, whose son recently turned five.
“After careful trial and error, I found that using a high-quality dry herb vaporizer with clean flower, combined with a balanced 1:1 THC-to-CBD tincture, was the most effective way to manage my symptoms and maintain stability,” she said.
Watkins had a tough time with it.
“I was honestly in two minds. On one hand, I see cannabis as a natural plant medicine with many proven benefits — physical, emotional and psychological,” she elaborated. “On the other hand, I’m very aware that there isn’t enough research, and that uncertainty is always at the back of my mind.”
The health concerns were not lost on her. She said her biggest fear was “whether it could negatively impact my baby’s health or development.”
“While I intuitively feel the risk is low, the lack of studies meant I stayed cautious and thoughtful about my use,” she said.
There’s also the added risks involved with cannabis products not being regulated by the FDA.
“Doses and labels can be unreliable,” Chung said. “For those reasons, the [American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists] consensus is that no proven benefit outweighs the risks.”
Even Kirk, who has a doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences, acknowledges that while she understands many women like her are “desperate for symptom relief” — and some have a “lack of trust in the pharmaceutical industry” — she doesn’t support recreational use during pregnancy.
Facing stigma and finding support
The social stigma looms large for many women, including Watkins, who only brought it up to her doctor casually.
“I mentioned it briefly… but for the most part, I didn’t [for] fear of judgment and knowing that most doctors don’t have much training or understanding around cannabis as medicine,” she admitted.
“When I did bring it up, the response wasn’t very supportive or informed, which confirmed why I didn’t feel safe talking openly about it,” she added.
But she found comfort and sympathy in her personal life.
“I was open with my family and close friends,” Watkins said. “Some even felt that the stress I was under could have been more detrimental to the baby than the small amount of cannabis I was using. That perspective gave me reassurance, because I wasn’t using it to escape; I was using it to cope, regulate and show up better as a parent.”
Sanchez, meanwhile, often received mixed reactions.
“Halfway through my pregnancy, I switched providers in hopes of better care, and while my doctor personally approved of my use based on my medical history and condition, I sometimes encountered differing opinions from other staff at the clinic,” she noted.
But she did have allies within her own family, including her mother, who experienced many of the same pregnancy symptoms Sanchez did and was “very supportive.”
Communities have even formed online and in TikTok comment sections, “where women exchange advice, discuss risks and benefits, and even share input from their OBGYNs,” Kirk said. “It has become one of the only places on the internet where these conversations are happening openly.”
The movement has given rise to hashtags like #cannamama, #plantmom and #gardenmommy.
Sanchez and Watkins have both seen positive commentary after sharing their experiences online.
“It was overwhelmingly supportive,” Sanchez said. “There were some negative comments, but they were far outweighed by the messages of encouragement and gratitude.”
“Some have even shared their own similar experiences,” Watkins added. “I think a lot of people appreciate when someone is willing to talk about the realities of cannabis use and parenthood without shame.”
Future conversations
Currently, there is no known safe amount of cannabis to use in pregnancy, nor is there data confirming what amount, frequency or timing is safe during pregnancy.
While overwhelming research suggests a link between marijuana use during pregnancy and an increased risk of complications, some studies suggest — and users believe — there is room for further education and future research.
Kirk has even launched a research study in collaboration with Purdue University to gather more in-depth data on women’s experiences.
“For too long, women have felt isolated and guilty for turning to cannabis during pregnancy,” Kirk said. “Still, it is clear that many women are turning to cannabis because other options have failed them.”
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