How pregnant people use cannabis (smoking, vaping, edibles) and other substances
Official title: Modes of Cannabis Administration and Polysubstance Use among Women Before and During Pregnancy
Funded at Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · NIH-11115861 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at the ways pregnant people use different cannabis products and other drugs before and during pregnancy and how those patterns relate to quitting and health outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $677,280 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA058201-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11115861 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant people receiving prenatal care within Kaiser Permanente Northern California between 2021 and 2026, especially those who report or screen positive for cannabis use.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not pregnant, not receiving care at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, or who have never used cannabis are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participating.
What this research studies
You would be part of a large study using routine prenatal screening information and medical records from over 300,000 pregnancies at Kaiser Permanente Northern California from 2021–2026. The team combines self-reported use, urine toxicology results, and electronic health record data with local cannabis retailer and policy information to see which products people use and how that relates to frequency of use, cannabis use disorder, other substance use, quitting, and health effects. The research uses both large-scale data analysis and mixed methods to capture patterns across different racial, ethnic, and policy contexts. Findings will help clarify risks tied to specific modes of cannabis use during pregnancy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians give clearer, more specific guidance and support to pregnant patients about risks of different cannabis products and quitting options.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked prenatal cannabis use to adverse outcomes but few large, diverse studies have examined differences by mode of use, so this builds on limited existing evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
Oakland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Young-Wolff, Kelly Corinne — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Young-Wolff, Kelly Corinne
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How pregnant women use cannabis and other substances across pregnancy
This project looks at how women use cannabis before and during pregnancy and how patterns vary by who they are and by local policies, using health records from Kaiser Permanente to understand potential health impacts.
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Trajectories of Cannabis Use in Pregnancy
This study follows pregnant people to understand how cannabis use patterns change across pregnancy and how those patterns relate to birth outcomes and child development.
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Parental alcohol and cannabis use before, during, and after pregnancy
This project looks at how pregnant people and their partners use alcohol and cannabis before, during, and after pregnancy to learn about timing and patterns of co-use.
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How cannabis use changes during pregnancy
This project will follow pregnant people who use cannabis to track how their use changes across pregnancy and identify factors linked to those patterns.
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Investigating alcohol and cannabis use before and during pregnancy
This study is looking at how moms and dads use alcohol and cannabis before and during pregnancy to see how it might affect the baby’s development, and it’s for anyone interested in understanding the risks of these substances during this important time.
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How women use cannabis before and during pregnancy
This study looks at how women use cannabis before and during pregnancy, including different ways they consume it like vaping or eating edibles, to see how this varies with their backgrounds and local laws, and how it might affect their health and their baby's health.
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.