A recent study indicated that using acetaminophen while pregnant does not lead to a higher chance of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in kids.
The new study was released in the JAMA Network. JAMA Network on Tuesday analyzed the data of more than 2.4 million children born in Sweden from 1995 to 2019 with a follow-up through December 2021. The researchers ultimately concluded that there was no link between the developmental disorders and acetaminophen, suggesting that other factors may be responsible.
The researchers stated that the absolute risks at 10 years of age for those not exposed to acetaminophen compared to those exposed to acetaminophen were 1.33 percent versus 1.53 percent for autism, 2.46 percent versus 2.87 percent for ADHD, and 0.70 percent versus 0.82 percent for intellectual disability.
Following an initial analysis that indicated a slight increased risk of autism, ADHD, and intellectual disability in kids whose mothers took acetaminophen during pregnancy, the researchers conducted a second study examining sibling pairs.
The sibling control analysis, which compared mothers who used acetaminophen during one pregnancy and not the other, found no connection between the developmental disorders and acetaminophen.
The study concluded that any connection between acetaminophen and the disorders was a “noncausal association.”
“The results suggested that there was not one specific cause, but rather that various factors related to parental health and sociodemographic characteristics each accounted for at least part of the apparent link,” the study stated.
