“r/pregnant”: A look into the anonymous online Reddit forum to analyze patterns and reasons for use of cannabis by pregnant women

Anika Mellacheruvu
University of Florida

Co-authors: Anika Mellacheruvu¹, Simone Jackson¹, Jieun Shin¹, Nathan Carpenter¹, Deepthi S. Varma¹, Ellen L. Terry^1
1University of Florida

Background: Despite stringent guidelines against prenatal cannabis use, self-reported use of cannabis amongst pregnant women rose from 1.5% to 5.4% from 2002-2020. Along with this, guidelines by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists outline the adverse effects that using marijuana while pregnant can have on infant and child development. As pregnant women continue to use marijuana, this exhibits a negative feedback loop in provider communication and patient understanding. However, due to restrictions surrounding the substance, patients may leave conversations about this topic undiscussed with their provider, due to fear of legal repercussions. Anonymous digital spaces have become a safe space for discussion about the subject by providing a platform for individuals to provide their insights and inquiries about cannabis use. 

Objective: The objective of this study is to examine anonymous online narratives to find reasons and mechanisms of use of cannabis by pregnant women, through the website Reddit.com. In doing this, the study aims to provides perspective on patient choices notwithstanding provider recommendations, and into how pregnant individuals conceptualize cannabis use outside of clinical environments. 

Methods: Prenatal cannabis use discussions were extracted from Reddit between March 2023 and June 2025, utilizing the software quid.com. Of these messages, data from the subreddit, r/pregnant, was extracted, resulting in a sample of 530 posts and comments. An iterative content analysis was conducted using the qualitative data analysis tool, ATLAS.ti. 

Results: From this analysis, two major themes emerged: (1) reasons for use and (2) modes of use. Reasons for use encompassed themes such as, lack of perceived harm in child development (n=104), symptom relief (n=66), ineffectiveness of prescription medications (n=13), and use for previous diagnoses (n=21). Modes of use included a variety of cannabis formulations, such as THC (n=66), and CBD (n=23), through various means, such as smoking (n=189) and vaping (n=18), and different frequencies of use, from regular use (n=17) to an isolated event (n=1).

Conclusions: Online discussions reveal that individuals frequently frame prenatal cannabis use as palliative treatment and harm reduction. Patterns of use range from use of undefined cannabis formulations to specific compositions, mostly consumed through inhalation. Findings highlight disparities between clinical guidelines and patient perceptions, underscoring the need for non-judgmental clinical counseling. Along with emphasizing the need for stigma-free patient-provider dialogue, this understanding can inform provider and clinicians to tailor their educational messages regarding the harmful effects of perinatal cannabis use in an effective manner.