Cannabis use during pregnancy and fetal brain development
Prenatal cannabis: A fetal neuroimaging study of neurodevelopment
This project follows pregnant people who do and do not use cannabis to learn how prenatal cannabis exposure relates to baby brain development and early behavior.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11383398 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will enroll 300 pregnant people who used cannabis in the first trimester and 150 who did not. During pregnancy we will collect self-reports and biological samples to measure cannabis exposure and perform a third‑trimester fetal MRI to look at the baby's brain before birth. After delivery we will follow the children for two years with parent questionnaires and lab-based tests of thinking, attention, and behavior. We will also gather information about the home environment and maternal mood to help separate prenatal cannabis effects from other influences.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are pregnant people in their first trimester who either used cannabis or did not and who can attend MRI and follow-up visits at Duke through their child's first two years.
Not a fit: People who cannot travel to Durham for scans and follow-up, or who cannot complete the third‑trimester MRI or two‑year follow-up, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify how prenatal cannabis affects early brain development and help guide safer pregnancy advice.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies on prenatal cannabis have been limited and this combination of third‑trimester fetal MRI plus two‑year follow-up is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Posner, Jonathan E — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Posner, Jonathan E
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.