Prenatal Cannabis Use and Offspring Autism-Related Behaviors: Examining Maternal Stress as a Moderator in a Black American Cohort.

The study relied on self-reported substance use, which may be underreported due to fear of legal repercussions or social stigma, particularly among Black mothers who face higher rates of Child Protective Services reporting. The sample was community-based with relatively low rates of severe autism symptoms, potentially biasing results toward the null. The study did not examine whether child sex modified the effects of cannabis, despite known sex differences in autism prevalence and biological responses to prenatal THC exposure. Timing of cannabis exposure during pregnancy was not precisely measured, preventing analysis of critical developmental windows.

Do not conclude that prenatal cannabis use is safe for child development. This study only examined autism-related behaviors at age two and did not assess other neurodevelopmental outcomes. The lack of association with autism behaviors does not rule out effects on other domains such as attention, executive function, or emotional regulation.