Review Finds No Link Between Pregnancy Paracetamol and Autism, ADHD or Intellectual Disability

A comprehensive scientific review published on January 16 in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Women's Health has concluded that taking paracetamol during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or intellectual disability in children. The findings, based on an analysis of 43 high-quality studies involving hundreds of thousands of children, directly address concerns raised by public figures last year and reaffirm the drug's safety when used as directed.

Led by Professor Asma Khalil, a professor of obstetrics and maternal fetal medicine at City St George's, University of London, the systematic review and meta-analysis examined data from rigorous research worldwide. Researchers pooled results from traditional comparisons of exposed and unexposed pregnancies, as well as sibling studies that controlled for shared genetics, family environment and parental factors. These sibling analyses included data on 262,852 children for autism, 335,255 for ADHD and 406,681 for intellectual disability. No clinically significant associations emerged, even in studies with low risk of bias or follow-up periods exceeding five years.