Women who took paracetamol, ibuprofen, or aspirin during pregnancy may put a baby girl at risk of fertility problems, according to a recent study. The study has been recently published in the Scientific Reports journal.
Rats, which have similar reproductive structures to humans, were used in the study conducted at the MRC Centre for Reproductive Health of the University of Edinburgh. The study utilized pregnant rats, where some of them were given paracetamol and some were not.
The female offspring of rats that were given paracetamol were found to have smaller ovaries and fewer eggs. This characteristic was not found in the offspring of those that were not exposed to the drug.
As for the male offspring, while they initially had reduced capacity to produce sperm, they were however able to attain normal fertility levels upon reaching adulthood. The same was not shown with the female offspring, according to a report by Independent.
Prof. Richard Sharpe, a co-author of the study, said that, "It's important to remember that this study was conducted in rats, not humans. However, there are many similarities between the two reproductive systems." It is suggested that further research is necessary to fully understand how the drug affects the reproductive system of the baby while still in the womb.
In a report by Yahoo News, another co-author of the study, Prof. Richard Anderson, said that, "These studies involved the use of painkillers over a relatively long period." He also added that there is now a need for them to explore what will be the effect if a shorter dose would be given. They also want to find out how the study can be translated in humans.
Although more research still needs to be carried out to ascertain the direct effect of paracetamol intake during pregnancy in humans, it would be safer for women to minimize the use of paracetamol while pregnant. The best solution is to seek medical advice whenever experiencing pain during pregnancy.
