Neurodevelopmental outcomes following prenatal cannabidiol exposure in male and female Sprague Dawley rat offspring

Cannabis use, including among pregnant women, has increased in recent years due to legalization and other factors in several countries. Cannabidiol (CBD), one of Cannabis' main constituents, is often seen as a natural and safe substance and increasingly used for treating medical conditions such as pain, anxiety, and depression. Women report using CBD during pregnancy to alleviate pregnancy-related symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and chronic pain. However, few studies exist in the literature regarding the consequences of prenatal CBD exposure. In this study, we treated pregnant rats with CBD (5 and 10 mg/kg; i.p.) once daily from gestational day 6 to 20 and then tracked litter health parameters and conducted neurodevelopmental behavioral tests to assess how treatment affected development. Offspring exposed to CBD prenatally weighed less on postnatal day 1 and gained less weight before weaning on postnatal day 21. Treatment with 10 mg/kg CBD decreased performance in homing behaviour. Subtle changes in righting reflex during the first postnatal week were observed in offspring of litters treated with the higher dose of CBD. These differences resolved by postnatal day 21. No significant differences in a gait test, negative geotaxis, or grip strength were noted. The present results contribute to a growing body of evidence regarding the safety of CBD use during pregnancy and suggest that pregnant people and health care professionals should be cognizant of the potential adverse outcomes of prenatal CBD exposure on growth and development.