Paracetamol intake during pregnancy increases the risk of autism and ADHD

The use of painkillers can have serious consequences for the child
Medicines in pregnancy are a sensitive issue, because there are some drugs that can cause serious harm to the unborn child. Even a simple cold remedy can therefore contain substances that are not good for the child. So what should pregnant women do if, for example, they have a headache? So far, acetaminophen was considered relatively safe and well tolerated. However, Spanish researchers at the Center for Research on Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) now warn against the widely used painkiller. Because pregnant women take this more often, the child has an increased risk of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Active substances can lead to malformations
Most women occasionally experience symptoms such as headaches or back pain during pregnancy. But while previously it was not a problem to swallow aspirin or ibuprofen, pregnant women need to be wary of taking medications. Because many active ingredients are transmitted to the unborn child and can lead to severe damage. Especially in the first few months, it can have serious consequences if the development of the organs is disturbed by harmful drugs. In the worst case, it can even happen that the child is born with a malformation or mental disability.

Women should be extra careful during pregnancy when it comes to medication. Because certain active ingredients can lead to serious secondary damage to the child. (Image: fizkes / fotolia.com)

More than 40 percent took painkillers during pregnancy
Pregnant women are often faced with the difficult question: what means can I use if my head growls or stabs my back? At least not paracetamol, according to a Spanish study recently published in the journal International Journal of Epidemiology. If a woman takes this more often in pregnancy, she risks her autism and an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in her child, according to the scientists around Claudia Avella-Garcia in her report. Affected would be the information, especially boys.

The researchers had studied and observed 2,644 mothers at the beginning of their pregnancy as part of the cohort study, and observed them until the children were five years old. More than 40 percent of mothers would therefore have reported taking paracetamol during pregnancy. It was found that the children of these women later had an increased risk of attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity or impulsivity, than that of abstinent mothers. In addition, a relationship between the use of the painkiller during pregnancy and an increased number of signs of a so-called "autism spectrum disorder" in boys (ASA).

Guys are more likely to be affected by autistic disorders
"This is the first cohort study showing that paracetamol exposure of the unborn child can increase the symptoms of ASD in male children. Our findings also suggest that prenatal exposure may affect attention functions at the age of five, but this affects boys and girls in different ways. Furthermore, our results suggest a link with hyperactivity and impulsivity that applies to both genders, "the researchers said in their article. It seems that the links are dependent on the frequency of taking the drug - but it is not possible to determine the exact effects of the dosages because the mothers had difficulty remembering the exact quantities. (No)