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Abstract
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<h5 class="section-title" id="d1396970e173">Background</h5>
<p id="P1">Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit substance in pregnancy. Little
is known
about how pregnant women who use marijuana obtain and understand information about
perinatal marijuana use. We conducted a qualitative study among pregnant women who
had used marijuana to understand their information-seeking patterns and perceptions
of usefulness of available information about perinatal marijuana use.
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<h5 class="section-title" id="d1396970e178">Study Design</h5>
<p id="P2">We conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 pregnant women who were
receiving
prenatal care and who either disclosed marijuana use or had urine samples testing
positive for marijuana. Interviews assessed women’s sources of information about risks
of perinatal marijuana use and perceptions regarding the usefulness of such information.
Interview data were coded independently by two coders who iteratively refined the
codes and reviewed transcripts for themes.
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<h5 class="section-title" id="d1396970e183">Results</h5>
<p id="P3">Commonly reported sources of information about perinatal marijuana use
included Internet
searching and anecdotal experiences or advice from family or friends. Few women reported
receiving helpful information from a health care provider or social worker. Women
perceived a lack of evidence about harms of perinatal marijuana use, and reported
being dissatisfied with the quality of information. Most women said they desired information
about the effects of perinatal marijuana use on infant health.
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<h5 class="section-title" id="d1396970e188">Conclusions</h5>
<p id="P4">Women who used marijuana before or during pregnancy did not find available
information
about perinatal marijuana use to be useful, and sought more information pertaining
to infant health and well-being. Efforts to reduce perinatal marijuana use should
focus on addressing this need in both clinical and public health settings.
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