Paracetamol use During Pregnancy Linked to Asthma in Unborn Babies

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A new study led by researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo reveals that pregnant women who take paracetamol or acetaminophen increase the risk of their unborn babies developing childhood asthma. The details were published in the journal International Journal of Epidemiology.

The results of the new study found the adverse health effects of paracetamol and therefore "is of public health importance, as paracetamol is the most commonly used painkiller among pregnant women and infants," according to study author Dr. Maria Magnus.

According to Medical News Today, a previous research has revealed a link between paracetamol exposure in pregnant women and babies with asthma. However, it was unclear if the drug is to blame for the condition.

Paracetamol is a drug used to treat mild to moderate pain including menstrual periods, headaches, cold/flu aches, backaches, and toothaches, according to WebMD. It is also used to relieve fever and considered to be safe enough to be used by children and pregnant women.

In the study, researchers investigated conditions of pregnant mothers and whether they used or did not use acetaminophen. They also looked at children who developed asthma at ages 3-7 years old. They tracked their data using the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.

Among more than 114,000 children, they found that 5.7 percent were diagnosed with asthma by age 3. Around 5 percent developed it by age 7.

Dr. Magnus and her colleagues also found out that overall, children with asthma at 3 years old was linked to prenatal acetaminophen exposure. According to Health Day, the link was clear among children whose mothers took the drug for more than one mild health issues. Additionally, pregnant women who took paracetamol for fever, flu and pain resulted having similar risks among their children.

However, the researchers emphasized that their study did not find a cause and effect relationship between pre-natal paracetamol intake and childhood asthma. Therefore, pregnant women should still heed the advice of their doctor to take paracetamol to treat mild pain.

"Although the results from the study show that maternal exposure to paracetamol before birth and during the first six months of the child's life increases the risk of a child developing asthma, more research is needed to better understand this relationship," said Dr. Samantha Walker of Asthma US, via Huffington Post. "If you are pregnant or trying for a baby you shouldn't panic; as the report's author states, no new guidance is required on the use of paracetamol.