A common painkiller is supposed to be safe for pregnant women to take—but it could cause classic symptoms of ADHD (attention-deficit, hyperactive disorder) in the child by the time it’s three.
Acetaminophen—commonly taken to treat fever, pains and headaches—could increase the risk of ADHD, researchers at Penn State College of Medicine warn.
The drug is supposed to be safe to be taken during pregnancy, but the researchers discovered the drug could increase the risk of ADHD symptoms, such as attention problems and sleeplessness.
They tracked around 2,400 women and monitored them and the health of the child for three years after the birth. Around 41 percent of the women had taken acetaminophen while they were pregnant.
Of those who had taken the drug, 22 percent said their child was having sleep problems and 33 percent had attention problems. By comparison, 18 percent in the non-drug group said their child had sleep issues, and 28 percent reported attention issues.
The researchers think the drug could be damaging the placenta, and so disrupting healthy fetal development, or it could be damaging liver cells in the fetus, leading to poor gut health and impaired neuro development.
PLOS ONE, 2022; 17: e0272593; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272593
