A new scientific study has raised concerns about the use of acetaminophen—commonly known as paracetamol—during pregnancy, suggesting it may increase children’s risk of developing neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The study, conducted by researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and Harvard’s School of Public Health, was published on August 14 in BMC Environmental Health.
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It reviewed 46 previous studies involving more than 100,000 participants to investigate possible links between prenatal paracetamol use and later developmental outcomes in children.
Using the “navigation guide” systematic review methodology, considered a gold standard for evaluating environmental health risks, the researchers found consistent evidence pointing to an association between exposure to the drug during pregnancy and higher rates of NDDs.
A Common but Complex Risk
Paracetamol is widely used by pregnant women worldwide because it is generally regarded as safer than alternatives for managing fever and pain. The researchers acknowledged that untreated fever and severe pain during pregnancy can also endanger fetal development.
“We recommend judicious acetaminophen use—lowest effective dose, shortest duration—under medical guidance, tailored to individual risk-benefit assessments, rather than a broad limitation,” the authors advised.
Expert Warning
Diddier Prada, an assistant professor of population health science at Mount Sinai and co-author of the study, explained that stronger, higher-quality studies tend to find clearer evidence of a link between prenatal exposure and NDD risks.
“Given the widespread use of this medication, even a small increase in risk could have major public health implications,” Prada said.
Doctors’ Guidance Still Crucial
Despite the findings, experts cautioned against panic or abrupt changes in medication use. “Pregnant women should not stop taking medication without consulting their doctors. Untreated pain or fever can also harm the baby,” Prada noted.
The researchers urged pregnant women to have open discussions with healthcare providers about the safest options, including non-drug alternatives, when managing discomfort during pregnancy.
Counter-Evidence From a Landmark Study
However, not all research points to a clear link between paracetamol use in pregnancy and child development disorders. In 2024, researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, working with colleagues from Drexel University in Philadelphia, published the largest epidemiological study to date.
The study examined registry data on 2.4 million children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019, including nearly 186,000 whose mothers used paracetamol during pregnancy. To strengthen the analysis, researchers compared outcomes among siblings, some exposed to paracetamol in the womb, others not.
While a slight increase in autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability was observed in the broader population, the comparison of siblings exposed and unexposed to paracetamol in utero revealed no meaningful differences. This suggested that other factors, rather than the medication itself, may explain the increased prevalence in population-level data.
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“We did not see any increased risk of ADHD, autism or intellectual disability in the children that could be attributed to paracetamol use during pregnancy,“ Renee Gardner, associate professor of epidemiology and researcher at the Department of Global Public Health at Karolinska Institutet, and co-author of the study
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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