A new study published by the Journal of Cannabis Research found that many women of childbearing age perceive marijuana as relatively safe to use during pregnancy, particularly for managing symptoms such as nausea, anxiety, sleep issues and pain.

For the study, researchers at the University of Connecticut recruited a national U.S. cohort of 622 women between the ages of 18 and 42 to complete an anonymous online survey about marijuana, alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy. Participants were asked about their own use, as well as their perceptions of safety and potential risks to fetal, birth and infant development.

Among participants who had previously been pregnant, 25.9% reported using marijuana during pregnancy. This was slightly higher than the 23.6% who reported using tobacco, and far higher than the 8.2% who reported using alcohol.

Researchers said the median frequency of prenatal marijuana use was twice per week, with joints and blunts reported as the most common methods of consumption. Participants who used marijuana during pregnancy most often cited symptom relief, including nausea, anxiety, sleep disturbance and pain.

The study found that participants viewed marijuana as relatively safer during pregnancy than alcohol or tobacco. Researchers said these perceptions may be influenced by marijuana’s use for pregnancy-related symptoms, as well as broader social and cultural shifts surrounding cannabis.

“Findings indicate that women of childbearing age perceive cannabis as relatively safe during pregnancy, particularly for symptom management,” researchers concluded.

The researchers said the findings highlight the need for targeted education and accurate messaging about marijuana use during pregnancy, while also accounting for the social, cultural and emotional factors that may influence substance use during pregnancy.