Pregnant women may want to avoid acetaminophen

A study recently published in JAMA Pediatrics showed a possible link between the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy being linked to a higher risk of having children with hyperactivity issues. Acetaminophen is a widely used over-the-counter medicine and is also found in many prescription medicines. While acetaminophen is regarded to be safe to use during pregnancy, researchers reviewed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children to try and determine if the prenatal use of acetaminophen raised the risk of ADHD in children. Researchers found that a pregnant mother using acetaminophen at 18 weeks of gestation had an increased risk of her child developing hyperactivity issues. Acetaminophen use at 32 weeks increased the odds of the child having emotional, and hyperactivity issues. Researchers did indicate that additional studies are needed to discover the cause of the link between hyperactivity issues and prenatal exposure to acetaminophen.*