Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy Not Directly Linked To ADHD, Autism, Child Development Problems

Acetaminophen use in pregnancy is thought to cause developmental problems in children like ADHD and autism, to name a few.  However, a recent study published in the field challenges this association, suggesting that factors such as genetics may play a more significant role in neurodevelopmental disorders.

According to 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 2.8% of children are diagnosed with autism by age 8, while 11.3% of children and adolescents receive a diagnosis of ADHD.

Additionally, 2.35% of children aged 3 to 17 are diagnosed with an intellectual disability. These statistics provide context for understanding the prevalence of these disorders in the general population.

Child Development Problems from Acetaminophen

The latest study unveiled in JAMA this week, meticulously analyzed data from a vast cohort of over 2 million Swedish children monitored over a span of 26 years.

Initially, their scrutiny hinted at a minute uptick in the likelihood of neurodevelopmental disorders among children whose mothers utilized acetaminophen during pregnancy.

Yet, revisiting the same dataset, the researchers embarked on a secondary investigation, focusing on siblings where acetaminophen was employed in one pregnancy but not the other.

To their surprise, this subsequent probe unearthed no discernible surge in neurodevelopmental issues linked to acetaminophen use. This revelation pointed to other contributing factors possibly elevating the risk of such disorders.

Brian Lee, co-senior author of the study and an associate professor at Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health, emphasized the study's central message, providing reassurance to expectant mothers. He underlined that utilizing acetaminophen during pregnancy does not seem to pose a significant concern regarding autism risk.

Nonetheless, Lee also stressed the importance of women consulting their healthcare providers before commencing any medication regimen.

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Acetaminophen Use in Pregnancy Not Linked To ADHD o Autism

In the recent study, there were 185,909 children whose mothers used acetaminophen during pregnancy; approximately 9% received diagnoses of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.

On the contrary, among the estimated 2.3 million children whose mothers did not take acetaminophen while pregnant, about 7.5% were diagnosed with one of these conditions.

Upon adjusting for variables like the mother's age, smoking habits, and existing maternal diagnoses of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability, the researchers observed a 5% heightened risk of autism, a 7% heightened risk of ADHD, and a 5% heightened risk of intellectual disability among children whose mothers had used acetaminophen during pregnancy.

Dr. Catherine Caponero, an OB-GYN at the Cleveland Clinic, expressed confidence in the study's outcomes. "This is a extensively researched medication during pregnancy," Caponero remarked. "Numerous studies have consistently shown it as one of the few safe options for pain and fever management in pregnant women."

J. Blake Turner, an assistant professor of social science in psychiatry at Columbia University, highlighted the potential risks of untreated fevers in expectant mothers.

Turner pointed to studies associating untreated fevers during pregnancy with an elevated risk of autism. "The risk can significantly escalate if fevers are left untreated," he cautioned.

Following an initial analysis indicating a slight elevation in the risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability among children whose mothers used acetaminophen during pregnancy, the researchers proceeded with a secondary study focusing on sibling pairs.

This sibling control analysis, comparing instances where mothers took acetaminophen during one pregnancy and abstained during another, revealed no discernible connection between developmental disorders and acetaminophen usage.

The study concluded that any perceived association between acetaminophen and these disorders was non-causal.

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