New Evidence Reassures Safety Of Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy

A rigorous systematic reappraisal of nan coming authorities of knowledge connected nan usage of acetaminophen during gestation and nan consequence of circumstantial neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), specified arsenic autism and ADHD, offers reassurance that acetaminophen does not summation nan consequence of NDDs. The study successful nan Journal of nan American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (JAACAP), published by Elsevier, points to methodological inadequacies successful erstwhile reviews and studies. It offers reassurance for pregnant women, nationalist wellness agencies, and healthcare providers successful alignment pinch recommendations from nan Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and The Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada (SOGC).

Acetaminophen (paracetamol) is nan astir commonly utilized over-the-counter symptom reliever during pregnancy, taken successful an estimated 70% of each pregnancies. In 2021, a commentary astir a imaginable accrued consequence of NDDs successful children exposed to acetaminophen successful utero was published, starring to important concerns successful nan wide organization and among prescribers. However, this publication—as good arsenic a consequent communicative reappraisal by nan aforesaid group of researchers—was met pinch disapproval of its methodology, prime and value of studies considered, and deficiency of mechanistic data.

Acetaminophen vulnerability during gestation is difficult to measure successful epidemiological studies because it is disposable complete nan antagonistic without a medicine and is utilized arsenic needed. Hence, location is inconsistency betwixt studies regarding nan consequence of NDDs associated pinch its usage successful pregnancy.

Dr. Bérard and an world group of experts successful nan section conducted a broad hunt of awesome bibliographic databases and grey lit to place quality studies evaluating nan relation betwixt prenatal acetaminophen vulnerability and nan consequence of NDDs successful offspring. Sixteen studies retrieved met eligibility criteria. In nan resulting caller systematic reappraisal and meta-analysis, nan investigators applied rigorous systematic reappraisal methodologies to find nan grade to which existent information tin support an relation betwixt prenatal vulnerability to acetaminophen and nan consequence of NDDs successful children. They besides utilized quantitative bias study to supply an estimate of nan direction, magnitude, and uncertainty arising from systematic errors erstwhile assessing acetaminophen usage during gestation and nan consequence of ADHD successful children and performed sensitivity analyses.

Dr. Bérard notes that while a humble but important relation betwixt acetaminophen usage during gestation and ADHD successful children was initially observed, concerns astir its reliability remain. She explains, "This relation is improbable to beryllium explained by imaginable confounding factors that were assessed but were not seen erstwhile related controls (considered to beryllium nan astir reliable study creation for assessing this risk) were used."

The authors reason that nan observed summation successful ADHD consequence is apt not causal and tin beryllium explained by inherent biases and underlying familial factors. They urge further studies to analyse this relation much robustly.

Commenting connected nan study, noted master successful nan section David Coghill, MD, Financial Markets Foundation Chair of Developmental Mental Health successful nan Departments of Paediatrics and Psychiatry astatine nan University of Melbourne, observes, "This is simply a landmark study that highlights nan value of bully subject and beardown methods. The findings of nary relation betwixt acetaminophen usage during gestation and nan consequence of autism and ADHD successful nan kid are not unexpected. These caller findings support nan position of master organizations and regulatory bodies astir nan world that women should proceed to usage acetaminophen during gestation and do truthful without fear. The truth that they contradict nan caller announcements by nan US authorities must beryllium acknowledged and acted on."

Source:

Journal reference:

Bérard, A., et al. (2025). Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and nan Risk of Neurodevelopmental Disorders successful Childhood. Journal of nan American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2025.09.031. https://www.jaacap.org/article/S0890-8567(25)02106-9/fulltext