Prolonged acetaminophen use during pregnancy linked to increase risk of ASD and ADHD

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Acetaminophen is frequently used as pain relief and fever reducer for many, but especially for pregnant mothers. Prolonged exposure to low doses of acetaminophen can damage the the fetus's developing nervous system. The fetus of the mothers who had prolong exposure to acetaminophen during pregnancy had a 30% higher chance to develop ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), compared to someone who did not have any exposure to acetaminophen and a 20% higher chance to develop ASD (Autism Spectrum disorder). Pain and fever can have an effect on the fetus, so women should not stop taking acetaminophen altogether. Acetaminophen can be taken short term but if the mother's fever persists for more than a couple days she should seek a doctor's help for a better course of action for medicine.

Anything that the mother eats or takes also gets passed through the placenta. The brain is developing almost all throughout the pregnancy, so any drug or alcohol use could be very detrimental to the developing fetus.



The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2018, April 24). Prolonged Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy Linked to Increased ASD and ADHD Risk. NeuroscienceNews. Retrieved April 24, 2018 from http://neurosciencenews.com/acetaminophen-asd-adhd-8865/

Comments

  1. Alejandra MagallanesApril 26, 2018 at 8:38 PM

    I find this very interesting that they would still let somone take it knowing that it can cause damage to the fetus. Even though they did say it was a long term use consequence, i still find it very risky since the substance isnt heavily controlled. I also find this a tricky situation becauseof the fact that they cant let the mother continue with a fever.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownApril 26, 2018 at 8:45 PM

    Potentially groundbreaking results from this study by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The CDC currently estimates that the prevalence of autism is about 1 in 59 children. While there are genetic links for those with autism as well as other risk factors associated with it. According the article the researchers caution people to interpret and use the information with the results of this study, but with time, I hope that further research will help us better understand the causes of ADHD and ASD. As acetaminophen is commonly used, if proved to be a terotogen to a fetus after long exposure this will have a large impact on the pharmaceutical industry.

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