(79) Interventions Addressing Marijuana Use During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

Background: Marijuana use during pregnancy is associated with stillbirth and preterm birth as well as growth and developmental impairment. As such, the American College of Gynecology and the National Institute of Drug Abuse both provide clear guidance that marijuana should be avoided by people who are pregnant. Nevertheless, perceived risk of marijuana use has decreased with liberalization of marijuana legislation, and the prevalence of marijuana use among pregnant women is increasing in the United States. Given the trend of marijuana legalization throughout the country and the risks that marijuana use poses to mother and infant, the aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of interventions that focus on marijuana use during pregnancy.

Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library was conducted to identify reports of interventions targeting pregnant individuals using marijuana. The primary outcomes of interest included change in marijuana use and attitudinal changes towards marijuana use.

Results: Nine studies were identified according to inclusion criteria with sample sizes ranging from 15 to 658 pregnant women. Interventions involved brief counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), Motivational Enhancement Therapy + Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MET-CBT), computer delivered psychotherapy, and psychoeducation. The studies to effectively decrease marijuana use among pregnant women utilized MI, CBT and/or MET, and computer based psychotherapy.

Conclusions: From the studies uncovered through this systematic review, it is evident that interventions involving cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing demonstrate promise for decreasing and eliminating marijuana use during pregnancy. The utility of computer and other technology based interventions should be further explored.

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