There is no risk of autism from paracetamol during pregnancy, a big claim in research (symbolic picture)
PTI, New Delhi. Taking paracetamol during pregnancy increases the risk of a child having autism, ADHD or intellectual disability – a belief that has been refuted by a new comprehensive study.
This analysis, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, says that studies using strict scientific methods do not provide any such evidence.
Researchers from the University of Liverpool in Britain and other institutions in Europe reviewed 43 studies and looked specifically at those that used strong methods, such as sibling comparisons.
"The current evidence does not indicate that the risk of autism, ADHD or intellectual disability is increased to a clinically significant level in the children of pregnant women who take paracetamol as directed," the findings said.
According to the researchers, earlier studies that reported a modest association were often affected by bias. Maternal factors such as fever, pain, infection or genetic predisposition during pregnancy may be the real cause of these risks, not paracetamol itself.
Rudroop Bhattacharjee, a scientist at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said the study was important because previous concerns were based on research that could not separate the effects of the drug from the underlying reasons for taking it.
Experts from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine also commented that this analysis confirms that paracetamol remains a safe and evidence-supported option for the management of fever and pain in pregnancy when needed, particularly when untreated infection may be more risky to the fetus.
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