A new study has raised concerns about using paracetamol (commonly known as acetaminophen) during pregnancy. It suggests that it may be linked to a higher risk of neurodevelopmental abnormalities in children, such as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The results, which go against the common idea that the drug is completely safe to take during pregnancy, have big effects on public health.
The journal BioMed Central published the study, which was done by a team at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in the US. The study looked at 46 studies that had already been published and combined data from more than 100,000 people from different nations.
Studies of better quality show a stronger link.
Dr. Diddier Prada, the primary author and an assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine, says, “Our findings show that higher-quality studies are more likely to show a link between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and increased risks of autism and ADHD.” He went on to say, “Because so many people use this drug, even a small rise in risk could have big effects on public health.”
The researchers said that the study does not say that paracetamol directly causes these diseases, but the evidence they found “strengthens the connection and raises concerns about current clinical practices.”
Learning about the biological mechanisms
The research report also looks into the biological factors that can help explain this link. Paracetamol is known to penetrate the placental barrier and may affect the developing fetal brain by producing oxidative stress, messing with hormones, and changing the way genes work. These changes in how genes work, which lead to visible features, could have an effect on how the brain develops.
The people who wrote the study say that pregnant women should be careful and only use paracetamol for a short time and under medical supervision. They also underlined the need for more research to back up their results and called for the creation of safer ways to treat pain and fever during pregnancy.
These results are likely to have a big effect on clinical guidelines, public health policy, and patient education because autism and ADHD cases are rising over the world.