Taking paracetamol during pregnancy may lead to neurodevelopmental disorders in newborns: Study
Published on: Aug. 16, 2025, 12:30 p.m. | Source: The Indian Express
A review of 46 studies suggests a link between a pregnant woman's use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) and an increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism and ADHD in their children. Published in the journal BioMed Central, the findings from researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai indicate that higher-quality studies are more likely to support this connection. While the study does not prove causation, it explores potential biological mechanisms, such as paracetamol crossing the placental barrier to cause oxidative stress, hormonal disruption, or epigenetic changes that could interfere with fetal brain development. Given that paracetamol is widely used, the authors argue that even a small increase in risk could have significant public health implications. They advise pregnant women to use the medication cautiously and for a limited time, only under medical supervision, and call for more research to further investigate this association.
