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Why Alcohol, Not Cannabis, Is Fueling Surprise Pregnancies in Young Women
Scitech Daily ^ | August 06, 2025 | Society for the Study of Addiction

Posted on 08/06/2025 7:15:58 AM PDT by Red Badger

Heavy drinking, not cannabis, was tied to a sharp increase in unintended pregnancies—even among women actively trying to avoid them.

The study reveals a gap between intention and outcome that alcohol may be widening.

A Risky Link Between Alcohol and Unwanted Pregnancy

According to a new study, women who strongly wanted to avoid pregnancy were significantly more likely to become pregnant if they engaged in heavy drinking. Their risk was 50% higher compared to women who drank moderately or did not drink at all. On the other hand, cannabis use showed no connection to increased chances of undesired pregnancy. Women who used cannabis were just as likely to avoid pregnancy as those who didn’t use it.

The study began with a larger group of over 2,000 non-pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 34. From that group, researchers focused on 936 participants who expressed a clear desire not to get pregnant. Among them, 429 reported heavy alcohol use (based on a standard alcohol screening questionnaire), and 362 reported using cannabis. Of those cannabis users, 157 said they used it daily or almost daily.

Interestingly, both heavy drinkers and frequent cannabis users were more likely to report a stronger desire to avoid pregnancy compared to those who drank lightly or not at all, and those who didn’t use cannabis.

Heavy Drinking Drives Pregnancy Risk

Over the following year, 71 of the 936 women who were actively trying not to get pregnant ended up becoming pregnant. More than half of those unintended pregnancies (38) occurred in the group that drank heavily. That number exceeded the combined total among women who drank moderately or didn’t drink at all. The findings suggest that heavy alcohol use is clearly linked to a higher risk of undesired pregnancy when compared with lower or no alcohol consumption.

Cannabis Use Shows No Elevated Risk

In contrast, less than half of the 71 undesired pregnancies (28) occurred among people who used cannabis, meaning that those who used cannabis did not show an elevated risk of undesired pregnancy compared with people who did not use cannabis.

Lead author Dr. Sarah Raifman, of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, comments: “This study made two important findings. First, non-pregnant women who drink heavily appear, on average, to have a higher desire to avoid pregnancy than those who drink moderately or not at all. Second, drinking heavily as opposed to moderately or not at all appears to put those who most want to avoid pregnancy at higher risk of becoming pregnant within one year. Finding out why those pregnancies happen is the next step in our research.”

Health Implications and Medical Guidance

“In the meantime, given the potentially life-altering effects of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (which occur when a fetus is exposed to alcohol through the mother’s drinking) and the fact that the risk of FASD increases with the amount and duration of the mother’s drinking, it’s important for doctors and clinicians to support women who drink heavily to stop drinking as soon as they suspect an unintentional pregnancy.”

Reference:

“Alcohol and drug use and attainment of pregnancy preferences in the southwestern United States: A longitudinal cohort study”

by Sarah Raifman, Sarah C. M. Roberts and Corinne H. Rocca, 30 July 2025, Addiction.

DOI: 10.1111/add.70135


TOPICS: Food; Health/Medicine; History; Society
KEYWORDS: beer; etoh; liquor; pregnancy; spirits; weed; wine
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To: irishjuggler

I was in love with a girl on marijuana

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-gyHzqKZRU


21 posted on 08/06/2025 7:40:36 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: irishjuggler

And reeking of alcohol with her head in the toilet doesn’t? Takes all kinds.


22 posted on 08/06/2025 7:45:16 AM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: Red Badger

Cannabis and prenancy is a topic that requires far more attention and research. The incidence of autism since 1965 has increased almost expotentially in the US. This parallels the increased use of marijuana and other “recreational” drugs by young people. Many women of child bearing age regularly use these drugs, and often don’t realize they are in the early stages of pregnancy when the neurological system of the fetus is rapidly developing. IMHO the recent “legalization” of these drugs will result in yet a further increase in the incidence of autism.


23 posted on 08/06/2025 7:45:46 AM PDT by allendale
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To: dfwgator

“... but she got so paranoid her place I would avoid”


24 posted on 08/06/2025 7:45:47 AM PDT by irishjuggler
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To: Responsibility2nd

…..and with ugly women.


25 posted on 08/06/2025 7:47:55 AM PDT by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to says it.)
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To: allendale

“The incidence of autism since 1965 has increased almost expotentially (sic) in the US. This parallels the increased use of marijuana and other “recreational” drugs by young people.”

So does HFCS.................


26 posted on 08/06/2025 7:48:16 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

This study is clearly flawed. There’s no reference to climate change in it.


27 posted on 08/06/2025 7:52:12 AM PDT by Flag_This (They're lying.)
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Loretta Lynn - Don't Come Home A Drinking (with Loving On Your Mind)
28 posted on 08/06/2025 7:52:14 AM PDT by OldHarbor
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To: Sequoyah101

“”””And reeking of alcohol with her head in the toilet doesn’t? “”””

Sounds like something is wrong in your life Karen.


29 posted on 08/06/2025 7:54:28 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Red Badger

Alcohol? I thought sex caused the pregnancies.


30 posted on 08/06/2025 7:54:48 AM PDT by poinq (thics and customs and did not take an oath to the country. And did not follow the country's traditio)
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To: poinq

Alcohol causes sex..................usually..............


31 posted on 08/06/2025 7:55:37 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Flag_This

People are drinking more due to Climate Change...............


32 posted on 08/06/2025 7:57:57 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: ansel12

Well, we now know the low bar for your standards.


33 posted on 08/06/2025 8:00:24 AM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: Sequoyah101

Weird, you are the one running into girls so drunk that they have their head in your toilet.


34 posted on 08/06/2025 8:05:08 AM PDT by ansel12 ((NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.))
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To: Red Badger

This is an issue for trashy women.


35 posted on 08/06/2025 8:07:23 AM PDT by Fury
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To: Fury

And trashy men who have sex with said women...


36 posted on 08/06/2025 8:07:55 AM PDT by Fury
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To: Fury

This is an issue for trashy women.


Too much lipstick and uh too much rouge.....


37 posted on 08/06/2025 8:08:30 AM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: buffyt

How did we get here? Booze and bad decisions, my friend. That’s how we got here. I have a frig magnet that says that! I have it attached to photos of my teenage friends back in high school in college. Those were the days my friend~!


38 posted on 08/06/2025 8:17:02 AM PDT by buffyt (Yesterday's bad decisions become today's funny stories. )
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To: Red Badger
“drinkers and frequent cannabis users were more likely to report a stronger desire to avoid pregnancy compared to those who drank lightly or not at all, and those who didn't use cannabis”

I'll bet that's because smokers and drinkers are more promiscuous.

39 posted on 08/06/2025 8:17:47 AM PDT by DouglasKC
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To: Red Badger

How much was the federal grant for this Captain Obvious study?


40 posted on 08/06/2025 8:23:19 AM PDT by VTenigma (Conspiracy theory is the new "spoiler alert")
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