Legalization of recreational cannabis in many states has led to increased use of the drug across a wide spectrum of the U.S. population. Currently, 18 states allow recreational marijuana usage, while 37 states allow medical marijuana usage. According to the CDC, 18 percent of Americans reported using marijuana at least once in 2019. 

Does legalization of cannabis mean that it is safe for pregnant women? According to research, the answer is a resounding “no.”

“Cannabis and CBD use is not recommended for persons considering pregnancy, or for those who are pregnant or lactating,” said Brooke Cheney, Certified Nurse Midwife with ProMedica Physicians Obstetrics and Gynecology. “Certified nurse midwives and physicians encourage persons who are pregnant, contemplating pregnancy or who are lactating to discontinue cannabis or CBD use. We counsel patients on the potential adverse health consequences of continued use during pregnancy and lactation, including but not limited to effects on brain development and stillbirth.” 

Too Many Unknowns
“Cannabis is not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration,” Cheney said. “Therefore, there are no approved indications, contraindications, safety precautions or recommendations regarding its use during pregnancy and lactation.” 

According to Dr. Courtney Townsel, MD, M.Sc, an obstetrician-gynecologist at University of Michigan Health Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, Michigan Medicine, there are too many unknown variables when it comes to the safety and possible side effects of usage.

“There are no standardized formulations, dosages, or delivery systems,” Dr. Townsel added. “There are simply too many uncertainties with cannabis use and pregnancy. Therefore, we recommend against its use in pregnancy for any reason.” 

Know the Risks
Cannabis has often been used by cancer patients to combat nausea associated with chemotherapy. Because of that reputation for helping with nausea, pregnant women may think it is a suitable remedy, but Dr. Townsel cautions against it.

“There are rare cases of clinicians prescribing cannabis for excessive nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum),” Dr. Townsel said. “In these scenarios, the physician must fully counsel patients about risks and benefits of use in pregnancy, and then come to some shared decision about whether the benefits of use outweigh the risks.”  Those risks can include stillbirth, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and neurodevelopmental impairments in infants and children exposed prenatally as well as during breastfeeding. 

Nursing Mothers and Marijuana 

According to the CDC, marijuana use while breastfeeding can allow harmful chemicals to pass on to the infant through breast milk. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the main active component in cannabis, and it is stored in body fat. Infants have the potential of being exposed to THC as it is slowly released over time through breastfeeding.

The CDC also cautions against the use of CBD products while pregnant or nursing. These products often contain contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and fungi which could be dangerous to both mother and infant. 

Trust the Research
“It’s estimated that 7 to 10 percent of pregnant women report cannabis use,” Dr. Townsel said. “Rates based on urine toxicology are even higher at 19 percent for pregnant people ages 18-25 years of age screening positive for marijuana. This makes cannabis the most commonly used drug in pregnancy. The most common reported reason for use is nausea,” Dr. Townsel added. However, Dr. Townsel notes that heavy marijuana users who attempt to wean or discontinue use during pregnancy can also experience withdrawal symptoms which include severe nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. 

“Any use of cannabis is experimental and not supported by data or research,” she said. “Currently, these risks, along with the unregulated nature of cannabis, make it an undesirable choice for use during pregnancy.” 

Car seats are an essential investment for new parents, especially when it seems more time is spent in the car than in the home. It is vital to choose a reliable car seat that fits your child’s size and age, and is appropriate for your vehicle type. It is also important to know when your child’s car seat expires, and where to check the expiration date. 

Why Do Car Seats Expire?

Car seats usually expire 6 to 10 years after their date of manufacture, on a date set by the individual car seat manufacturers. There is not one set reason for their expiration, but it could be due to reasons such as wear and tear, updated safety regulations, and limitations on manufacturing testing. 

It’s also recommended that any car seat that has been involved in a moderate to severe crash be replaced with a new one. Research and crash test data, advancements in materials, technology, and manufacturing, all allow for new car seats to be designed with improved functionality and safety.

In order to adhere to these safety improvements and guidelines, it is critical to be aware of these expiration dates to keep your children as safe as possible while traveling in the car.

Where Is The Expiration Date?

In order to find the expiration date of a car seat, you first need to locate the white (or sometimes silver) sticker on the plastic shell of the seat. This label provides the serial number, as well as the manufacture and expiration dates. Then, the expiration date can be seen marked with words such as “Expires On,” or “Do Not Use After.” Expired car seats may not adequately protect children and infants, so as these labels suggest, should not be used after their date of expiration. 

Depending on the brand and style of the car seat, the sticker may be located in a slightly different location than others, and is oftentimes found under the fabric of the car seat. Visual examples of these stickers on the most popular car seat brands such as Britax, Chicco, and Nuna can be found here.

Where Can Expired Car Seats Be Recycled?

Clek’s Car Seat Trade-in Program:

Clek offers an affordable, nationwide car seat recycling program that is available all year long. Clek accepts child safety seats of any brand or model and can be recycled by ordering a custom recycling kit.

The kit includes a custom shipping and recycling bag and a prepaid shipping label.The expired car seat can be placed in the provided bag with the shipping label and dropped off at a local UPS store.The seat will be recycled by one of Clek’s material recovery and processing partners. In exchange, either a $10 off of $40 or more or a 10% off purchase of $100 or more coupon can be used on the Clek website. 

Properly Recycle: 

Car seats can also be recycled at home, but must be done properly in order for the product to be recycled. When preparing these items for recycling, strip the car seat of its fabric and padding and throw these items away. The remaining plastic shell can then be recycled. However, the harness straps should be cut out of the seat and discarded.

It is also recommended that “Expired” and/or “Do Not Use” should be written on the seat before recycling it, in order to prevent anyone from attempting to use the unsafe seat for their own children. Step-by-step instructions for preparing a car seat for recycling can be found here. 

Target Car Seat Trade-in Event:

Held twice a year, Target’s Car Seat Trade-in Event provides an opportunity for anyone with an expired car seat of any kind to be exchanged for a 20 percent off coupon towards a new car seat, car seat base, travel system or stroller, or select bay home gear within the store.The program launched in April 2022, and the next event is projected to take place in September 2022. 

Materials from the old car seats are  recycled by Target’s partner, Waste Management, to create new products such as pallets and plastic buckets, and construction materials such as steel beams and carpet padding. A full list of FAQs about this program can be found here.

TerraCycle and Century Baby Gear Free Recycling Program:

TerraCycle currently partners with Century Baby Gear to provide a free recycling program for all expired Century baby gear products such as car seats, high chairs, strollers and play yards. 

Simply create an account with Terracycle, download a free shipping label for the expired Century baby gear product, pack up the item, and send it off to TerraCycle for recycling. TerraCycle offers a reward point program and 100 points can be earned per pound of recyclable material. These points can then be used as a monetary donation to the nonprofit organization or school of your choice. 

TerraCylcle cleans all of the recycled items before separating them into plastics and fabrics that can be recycled into raw materials for new products, and metals are melted down and reused for new items. Learn more about the Free Recycling Program here.