June26,2017MarijuanaSafetyinPregnancy:ResearchersDescendonDenvertoDiscussLatestDataBirthDefectsExperts,ColoradoChiefMedicalOfficertoPresentatOTIS,TeratologySociety,DNTSAnnualMeetingRESTON,VIRGINIA—“Fromexposureduringpregnancytoachild’sneurologicaldevelopment,itisanunderstatementtosaythelegalizationofmarijuanahasthepotentialtoimpactColorado’schildrenandfamilies,”saidLarryWolk,MD,ChiefMedicalOfficerfortheColoradoDepartmentofPublicHealthandEnvironment.That“potentialimpact”iswhyDr.WolkwilljointopinternationalresearchersforameetingneverbeforeheldinDenverthatbringstogetherworld-renownedexpertspresentingthesciencebehindbirthdefectsresearch.Themeeting,whichisheldjointlywiththeOrganizationofTeratologyInformationSpecialists(OTIS),theTeratologySocietyandtheDevelopmentalNeurotoxicologySocietythisweekattheGrandHyattDenver,willhaveaspecialfocusontheeffectsofmarijuanaexposureduringpregnancy.Dr.WolkwillserveastheKeynoteSpeakerMonday,June26at8am.Then,a“MarijuanaandChildDevelopmentSymposium,”whichfeaturesscientistsfromtheUniversityofColoradoatDenver,UniversityofCaliforniaatSanDiego,YaleUniversityandtheNationalInstituteonDrugAbuse,takesplaceTuesday,June27at3:05pm.AccordingtoMotherToBaby,aserviceofOTISthatoffersinformationtothepublicaboutexposuresduringpregnancyandbreastfeedingthroughtraditionalanddigitalavenues,thegrowingrateofmarijuanauseduringpregnancyis“deeplyconcerning.”Afederalsurveypublishedlatelastyearindicatedthatalmost4percentofexpectingmotherssaidtheyhadusedmarijuanainthepast30days.Thisrateisalmosttwicethatforotherillicitdrugsusedinthepreviousmonthbypregnantwomen.Thesurveywasconductedin2014.Inasurveyjust12yearsprior,only2.4percenthadsaidtheyusedmarijuanainthepastmonth.“Asscientistsspecializingintheeffectsexposurescanhaveduringpregnancy,thistrendisextremelyworrisomeandwe’reheretoworktogethertofindanswers,”saidStephenBraddock,MD,OTIS/MotherToBaby’spresidentandaprofessorofPediatricsatSaintLouisUniversity.“AtMotherToBaby,wearefrequentlycontactedbywomenwhowanttoknowifmarijuanaissafeinpregnancy.Newinformationthatwillbesharedatthismeetingwillhelpustogainabetterideaofwhattherisksare,sothatwecanbettereducateexpectantandnursingmomsaswellashealthcareproviders.”“Whiledataaresomewhatlimited,weknowtherearerisksassociatedwithmarijuanauseinpregnancy,butwealsoneedtobethinkingaboutthepotentialimpactofcannabisontheadolescentbrain,”added

DianaDow-Edwards,PhD,President-electoftheDevelopmentalNeurotoxicologySociety,marijuanasymposiumco-chair,andprofessoratSUNYDownstateMedicalCenter.“NewandbreakthroughsciencewillbepresentedbysomeofourspeakersandwehopetheknowledgestimulatesdiscussionamongconcernedDenver-areahealthcareprovidersandthegeneralpublicalike,”notedSusanMakris,PhD,TeratologySocietyPublicAffairsCommitteechair,marijuanasymposiumco-chairandaU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgencyscientist.Additionalscientificinformationpresentedduringthemeetingincludese-cigaretteuseinpregnancyandthelatestZikavirusfindings.Moreinformationandthefullannualmeetingprogrammaybefoundonthe57thAnnualMeetingwebsite.Onedayregistrationisavailableforanylocalscientistsandhealthcareprovidersinterestedinattending.AboutOTIS/MotherToBabyMotherToBaby,aserviceoftheOrganizationofTeratologyInformationSpecialists(OTIS),isasuggestedresourcebymanyagenciesincludingtheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)andtheFoodandDrugAdministration’s(FDA)OfficeofWomen’sHealth.OTISwasestablishedin1987asawayofconnectingworld-renownedexpertsinthefieldofbirthdefectsresearchtothegeneralpublic.Today,MotherToBabyaffiliatesaroundtheworldprovidethemostcutting-edgeandup-to-dateinformationabouttherisksofmedications,chemicals,herbalproducts,illicitdrugs,diseasesandmuchmoreduringpregnancyandwhilebreastfeeding.Morethan100,000womenandtheirhealthcareprovidersseekinformationaboutbirthdefectspreventionfromMotherToBabyeveryyear.MotherToBabyhasbeenabletoembarkonnewoutreacheffortstoreachunderservedpopulationsandlaunchnewcommunicationtechnologiesthroughacooperativeagreementwiththeU.S.HealthResourcesandServicesAdministration,aswellasthroughthegenerousdonationsmadebythepublic.TolearnmoreaboutMotherToBaby,thewaystocontactitsnetworkofexpertsviaapp,text,livechat,emailandphoneline,orhowtosupportitsservices,pleasevisitwww.MotherToBaby.org.AbouttheTeratologySocietyTheTeratologySocietyismadeupofnearly700membersworldwidespecializinginavarietyofdisciplines,includingdevelopmentalbiologyandtoxicology,reproductionandendocrinology,epidemiology,cellandmolecularbiology,nutritionalbiochemistry,andgeneticsaswellastheclinicaldisciplinesofprenatalmedicine,pediatrics,obstetrics,neonatology,medicalgenetics,andteratogenriskcounseling.ScientistsinterestedinmembershipintheTeratologySocietyareencouragedtovisitwww.teratology.org.Thesociety’sofficialjournal,BirthDefectsResearch,ispublishedbyJohnWiley&SonsinpartnershipwiththeTeratologySociety.AboutDNTSTheDevelopmentalNeurotoxicologySociety(DNTS)isfocusedonstudiesoftheoriginsofneurodevelopmentaldisordersandthelong-termeffectsofchemicalsanddrugsonhealthandwell-being.Wepromotescientificresearchonthedevelopmentaloriginsofbraindisordersatalllifestages.Formoreinformation,pleasevisitusatwww.dntshome.org.Thesociety’sofficialjournal,NeurotoxicologyandTeratology,ispublishedbyElsevierinpartnershipwithDNTS.

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MediaContact:NicoleChavez,619-368-3259,nchavez@teratology.org.