Paracetamol Use During Pregnancy Not Linked To Autism Or ADHD In Children: Study

A comprehensive scientific review has concluded that taking paracetamol while pregnant is not convincingly associated with autism or ADHD in children.

Published in the British Medical Journal this week, the umbrella review compiled findings from multiple studies to explore any possible association between prenatal paracetamol use and childhood diagnoses of autism or ADHD.

The in-depth study comes after US President Donald Trump’s recent comments against the use of painkillers by pregnant women. In September, the US President blamed the use of painkillers like acetaminophen during pregnancy for the rise in autism cases. He cautioned pregnant women to avoid the use of common painkillers.   

To counter claims that paracetamol use was driving up autism rates, the report was published ahead of schedule to provide accurate guidance to pregnant women and their doctors.

The researchers found that the existing reviews were of generally poor quality, ranging from low to very low reliability, and suggested that any seeming connection between paracetamol use and autism likely stemmed from hereditary or other underlying influences.

According to The Guardian, Prof Shakila Thangaratinam, a senior author of the study, said, “Women should know that the existing evidence does not really support a link between paracetamol and autism and ADHD.”

“If pregnant women need to take paracetamol for fever or pain, then we would say please do, particularly because high fever in pregnancy could be dangerous to the unborn baby,” she added.

Researchers analysed nine comprehensive reviews encompassing 40 studies that looked into whether taking paracetamol in pregnancy might be linked to autism, ADHD, or similar neurological outcomes in children. Although all reviews suggested a possible connection, most cautioned that the data did not rule out alternative explanations.

“If there’s a family history of autism and ADHD, either in the parents or the siblings, then it is likely that that is the reason a child is diagnosed rather than something the mother took in pregnancy,” said Thangaratinam.

Beyond outlining the current data, the conclusions offer some comfort to women who might have worried about using the painkiller while pregnant.

“They might have a child that is autistic with ADHD and we really don’t want them to think it’s because of something they did in pregnancy. That’s a terrible feeling for a mother to have,” said Thangaratinam.