Currently submitted to: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Aug 12, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Aug 13, 2026 - Oct 8, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Pregnant and using cannabis: What advice and information are visitors seeking at an anonymous online social forum
ABSTRACT
Background:
Self-reported use of cannabis amongst pregnant women rose from 1.5% to 5.4% from 2002-2020, despite strict guidelines against prenatal cannabis use. Furthermore, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have established guidelines against prenatal cannabis use due to its adverse effects on infant and child development. Due to the illicit nature of the drug, patients may fear legal consequences and withhold discussion with their provider. Anonymous online communities have become a sanctuary for discussion about the topic.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to examine anonymous online narratives to find reasons and mechanisms of use of cannabis by pregnant women, through the website Reddit.com. In doing this, the study aims to provides perspective on patient choices notwithstanding provider recommendations.
Methods:
Perinatal cannabis use discussion data was extracted from Reddit.com between March 2023 and June 2025 utilizing the software service, quid.com. Of these messages, data from the subreddit, r/pregnant, was extracted, resulting in a sample of 530 posts. Using the qualitative data analysis software, ATLAS.ti, an iterative content analysis was conducted.
Results:
Two major themes emerged from this analysis: (1) reasons for use and (2) modes of use. Reasons for use were coded under lack of perceived harm in child development (n=104), symptom relief (n=66), ineffectiveness of prescription medications (n=13), and use for previous diagnoses (n=21). Modes of use include a variety of cannabis formulations, such as THC (n=66), and CBD (n=23), through various means, such as smoking (n=189) and vaping (n=18), and different frequencies of use, from regular use (n=17) to an isolated event (n=1).
Conclusions:
Online discussions reveal that individuals frequently framed prenatal cannabis use as palliative treatment and harm reduction. Patterns of use ranged from use of unspecified cannabis formulations to specific compositions and mostly consumed through inhalation. Findings highlight gaps between clinical guidelines and patient perceptions, underscoring the need for non-judgmental, evidence-informed clinical counseling.
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Copyright
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