Prenatal Exposure to Acetaminophen

Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen is associated with higher odds of symptoms of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum conditions (ASC). Researchers used data from six European population-based birth/child cohorts (73,881 mother–child pairs) to evaluate the association between prenatal and postnatal (up to 18 months) acetaminophen exposure and ASC and ADHD symptoms (assessed at 4 to 12 years of age). The researchers found that the proportion of children having borderline or clinical symptoms ranged from 0.9% to 12.9% for ASC and between 1.2% and 12.2% for ADHD. Compared with nonexposed children, those prenatally exposed to acetaminophen were more likely to subsequently have borderline or clinical symptoms of ASC and ADHD. While both boys and girls with prenatal exposure showed higher odds of ASC and ADHD symptoms, associations were slightly stronger among boys. There was no association between postnatal exposure to acetaminophen and either ASC or ADHD symptoms. Considering the evidence on acetaminophen and neurodevelopment, researchers recommend that acetaminophen should only be used by pregnant women when necessary.