CBD (Cannabidiol)
Everyday exposureAlcohol, tobacco & drugsAlso called · 8 names▾▴
cannabidiol, CBD oil, CBD gummies, hemp CBD, hemp extract, CBD tincture, CBD cream, cannabidiol oil
Cannabinoid product
Herbs and supplements are not FDA-approved before sale. About these sources
General information · effects depend on amount, timing, and how it is used. About these sources
- Liquid extract
- Topical
- Capsule/tablet
- Other
Research strength: 1 / 5
FDA strongly advises against CBD in any form during pregnancy, and CDC says pregnancy use is not recommended. ACOG also recommends avoiding CBD during pregnancy. The Epidiolex label reports developmental findings in animals, and two rat studies reported offspring growth or behavior changes after gestational CBD exposure. A 2025 mid-gestation cohort included only three participants with both THC and CBD, and its growth estimates were for THC, not CBD, so it does not provide a first-trimester estimate. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and BreastfeedingUS government
- CDC: About CBDUS government
- ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and PregnancyProfessional society
- DailyMed: EPIDIOLEX cannabidiol oral solution labelDrug company label
- Moore et al., 2025: Prenatal THC and CBD exposure, birth size, and growthUS government
- Baccetto et al., 2026: Prenatal CBD exposure in rat offspringUS government
- Fleischer et al., 2026: Prenatal cannabidiol exposure in ratsUS government
Research strength: 1 / 5
FDA strongly advises against CBD use during pregnancy, CDC says pregnancy use is not recommended, and ACOG recommends avoiding CBD. The Epidiolex label reports developmental findings in animals, while two rat studies reported changes in offspring growth or behavior after gestational exposure. These animal findings do not establish effects in people. Human outcome evidence is very limited; a 2025 mid-gestation cohort reported growth estimates for THC, not CBD, so it gives no CBD-specific second-trimester estimate. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and BreastfeedingUS government
- CDC: About CBDUS government
- ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and PregnancyProfessional society
- DailyMed: EPIDIOLEX cannabidiol oral solution labelDrug company label
- Moore et al., 2025: Prenatal THC and CBD exposure, birth size, and growthUS government
- Baccetto et al., 2026: Prenatal CBD exposure in rat offspringUS government
- Fleischer et al., 2026: Prenatal cannabidiol exposure in ratsUS government
Research strength: 1 / 5
FDA strongly advises against CBD use during pregnancy, CDC says pregnancy use is not recommended, and ACOG recommends avoiding CBD. The Epidiolex label reports developmental findings in animals, and two gestational rat studies reported offspring growth or behavior changes. These findings are from animals and do not establish outcomes in people. The reviewed human studies provide no CBD-specific third-trimester estimate or evidence that later pregnancy is a lower-concern time. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and BreastfeedingUS government
- CDC: About CBDUS government
- ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and PregnancyProfessional society
- DailyMed: EPIDIOLEX cannabidiol oral solution labelDrug company label
- Moore et al., 2025: Prenatal THC and CBD exposure, birth size, and growthUS government
- Baccetto et al., 2026: Prenatal CBD exposure in rat offspringUS government
- Fleischer et al., 2026: Prenatal cannabidiol exposure in ratsUS government
CBD (Cannabidiol) — Breastfeeding
Research strength: 2 / 5
FDA strongly advises against CBD while breastfeeding, and CDC encourages breastfeeding women to avoid it. LactMed says prescription Epidiolex has not been studied in nursing women; a 2018 study detected CBD in milk from mothers who reported cannabis use. A 2023 study modeled infant exposure from milk data, but its predictions could not be checked against measured infant blood levels. LactMed reports no published infant-level or infant-effect information for pharmaceutical CBD. ACOG says breastfeeding should not stop solely because cannabis use continues, but that guidance is not evidence about CBD exposure. Ask your provider about your situation.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-16
Sources
- FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and BreastfeedingUS government
- CDC: About CBDUS government
- LactMed: CannabidiolUS government
- Bertrand et al., 2018: Cannabinoid concentrations in breast milkUS government
- Yeung et al., 2023: Modeled infant CBD exposure through maternal cannabis useUS government
- ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and PregnancyProfessional society
Pregnancy
Human pregnancy-outcome evidence specific to CBD remains sparse. Moore et al. (2025) followed 128 mother-child pairs; 15 had prenatal THC exposure and 3 had concurrent CBD, while the reported growth estimates were for THC alone. Azubuike et al. (online 2025, print 2026) estimated CBD-use prevalence and did not assess pregnancy outcomes. Two rat studies reported offspring growth or behavior changes after gestational CBD dosing; Dalterio and deRooij (1986) also reported male reproductive findings after perinatal exposure in mice. Harhangi et al. (2026) found fetal-side transfer in ex vivo term placentas only with albumin and an antioxidant present; otherwise, CBD became undetectable in fetal samples after rapid oxidation. This laboratory setup is not a study of transfer or outcomes in a living pregnancy. The current U.S. Epidiolex label reports animal developmental findings at exposures similar to or above therapeutic exposure in humans and states that adequate human developmental-risk data are lacking. EFSA's February 2026 update was limited to a specified CBD food-supplement context and said it could not establish a conclusion for pregnant and lactating groups.
Breastfeeding
Bertrand et al. (2018) measured milk from 50 breastfeeding women reporting recent marijuana use (54 samples); CBD was measurable in 5 samples (9%), with concentrations from 1.32 to 8.56 ng/mL. These findings describe cannabis-use samples, not prescription Epidiolex. Yeung et al. (2023) modeled infant exposure using CBD measurements from 200 milk samples from 181 mothers; LactMed reports modeled infant exposure below 1% of that in children aged 4 to 10 years receiving therapeutic CBD for seizures, but this was not an observed infant outcome. The Yeung authors could not validate predicted infant plasma concentrations against measured infant values because those data were not available. LactMed reports no published infant CBD levels, infant effects, or milk-production information for pharmaceutical CBD. The label's animal findings followed exposure during both pregnancy and lactation and cannot isolate milk transfer from fetal exposure. The U.S. Epidiolex label asks clinicians to weigh breastfeeding benefits with maternal clinical need and possible infant effects; the EMA label says breastfeeding should be discontinued during treatment. ACOG's general cannabis guidance supports continued breastfeeding even if cannabis use continues; that is a separate feeding decision, not evidence about CBD exposure.
CBD is a cannabinoid found in cannabis and hemp. Consumer forms include oils, gummies, capsules, and topical products; FDA-approved Epidiolex is a purified prescription oral solution used for specific seizure disorders. FDA, CDC, and ACOG note that consumer CBD products can have inaccurate labels or contain THC and other substances. These product-content concerns are separate from pregnancy outcome findings.
What was tested
Pregnancy evidence includes animal studies and a small human cohort with only three participants co-exposed to THC and CBD; that cohort's reported growth estimates concerned THC. A 2026 prevalence study measured CBD use, not pregnancy outcomes. Breastfeeding evidence includes measured milk concentrations after reported cannabis use and modeled infant exposure; no clinical study has reported infant outcomes after pharmaceutical CBD exposure. A 2026 ex vivo placental study assessed transfer in a laboratory perfusion system, not a living pregnancy.
Does the EMA label exception for prescription Epidyolex alter broad CBD avoidance advice in pregnancy?
- Source A says
- FDA strongly advises against CBD in pregnancy, CDC says pregnancy use is not recommended, and ACOG recommends avoiding CBD during pregnancy. (FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding, CDC: About CBD, ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and Pregnancy)
- Source B says
- The EMA product information says cannabidiol should not be used during pregnancy unless the potential benefit to the mother clearly outweighs the potential risk. (EMA: Epidyolex product information)
- Why they differ
- FDA, CDC, and ACOG address CBD use broadly, including consumer products. The EMA statement is product-specific guidance for prescription Epidyolex and leaves a clinician-led benefit-risk exception.
- Other sources
- EFSA's 2026 update could not establish a conclusion for pregnant and lactating groups within its specified CBD food-supplement assessment. (EFSA: Provisional level for cannabidiol as a novel food)
- What the evidence shows overall
- The EMA exception is specific to a prescription product and does not endorse consumer CBD. Animal developmental findings provide a real risk signal, but the available human studies do not provide trimester-specific CBD outcome estimates.
Should breastfeeding stop if cannabis use continues or if prescription CBD is used?
- Source A says
- FDA strongly advises against CBD while breastfeeding, CDC encourages breastfeeding women to avoid CBD, and the EMA Epidyolex label says breastfeeding should be discontinued during treatment. (FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding, CDC: About CBD, EMA: Epidyolex product information)
- Source B says
- ACOG says breastfeeding should not stop solely because cannabis use continues. The U.S. Epidiolex label asks clinicians to weigh breastfeeding benefits, the mother's clinical need, and possible infant effects rather than directing breastfeeding to stop. (ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and Pregnancy, DailyMed: EPIDIOLEX cannabidiol oral solution label)
- Why they differ
- ACOG's statement concerns cannabis use generally and the decision to continue breastfeeding; the EMA statement is specific to prescription Epidyolex. The U.S. label describes missing human milk and infant data and frames an individualized balance.
- Other sources
- LactMed reports no published infant-level or infant-effect information for pharmaceutical CBD. Yeung et al. modeled low exposure from milk data but could not validate predicted infant plasma concentrations against measured values. (LactMed: Cannabidiol, Yeung et al., 2023: Modeled infant CBD exposure through maternal cannabis use)
- What the evidence shows overall
- These statements address different products and decisions. ACOG's general cannabis guidance is not evidence that infant effects from CBD exposure through milk have been ruled out.
- ACOG says an ob-gyn can help identify alternatives when cannabis is used for pain, sleeplessness, stress, or nausea. (ACOG)
General research, not specific to pregnancy.
NCCIH lists general CBD effects including reduced alertness, mood and appetite changes, diarrhea, liver injury, male reproductive harm, and medicine interactions; some effects were observed in Epidiolex studies. FDA and CDC say consumer CBD products may not match their labels and may contain THC or other contaminants.
- NCCIH says CBD use has been associated with liver injury, male reproductive harm, and interactions with other drugs; some effects such as diarrhea, sleepiness, abnormal liver tests, and drug interactions were observed in some Epidiolex study participants. (NCCIH: Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To Know, DailyMed: EPIDIOLEX cannabidiol oral solution label)
- CDC states that products labeled as hemp or CBD may contain THC, pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria, or fungi. (CDC: About CBD, FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding)
- MotherToBaby: Marijuana (Cannabis)Teratology serviceSecondary
- LactMed: CannabidiolUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-05-15
- NCCIH: Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need To KnowUS governmentSecondary
- FDA: CBD Use in Pregnancy and BreastfeedingUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2019-10-16
- CDC: About CBDUS governmentSecondaryPage dated 2025-01-31
- ACOG: Marijuana (Cannabis) and PregnancyProfessional societySecondaryIndependent check
- DailyMed: EPIDIOLEX cannabidiol oral solution labelDrug company labelTertiaryPage dated 2026-05-29
- EMA: Epidyolex product informationEU agencySecondaryIndependent checkEuropean guidance
- EFSA: Provisional level for cannabidiol as a novel foodEU agencySecondaryPage dated 2026-02-09Independent check
- Bertrand et al., 2018: Cannabinoid concentrations in breast milkUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Yeung et al., 2023: Modeled infant CBD exposure through maternal cannabis useUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Moore et al., 2025: Prenatal THC and CBD exposure, birth size, and growthUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Azubuike et al., 2026: Nationwide prevalence of cannabidiol use in pregnancyUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Dalterio and deRooij, 1986: Maternal cannabinoid exposure and male offspringUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Baccetto et al., 2026: Prenatal CBD exposure in rat offspringUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Fleischer and Thomas, 2026: Prenatal cannabidiol exposure in ratsUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
- Harhangi et al., 2026: Placental transfer and vasoactivity of cannabidiolUS governmentPrimaryIndependent check
Last reviewed 2026-10-16
Independent check 2026-10-16
Not yet clinician-reviewed
Ask your provider about your situation.