Study finds link between acetaminophen use in pregnancy and behavioral problems in children

A new study published Monday in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found a link between acetaminophen, a pain reliever used by more than half of all pregnant women in the U.S. and Europe, and behavioral problems in children born to mothers who used it while pregnant.

Researchers found that compared to women who said they did not take acetaminophen at 18 weeks, those who did were 42 percent more likely to report hyperactivity in their children and 31 percent more likely to report conduct problems, the Los Angeles Times reports. For women who took acetaminophen at 32 weeks, they were 29 percent more likely than women who did not take it to report emotional difficulties in their child at age seven, and mothers who used the pain reliever even later in pregnancy were 46 percent more likely to have a child with a range of behavioral difficulties.

The study's authors say the link does not prove that using acetaminophen during pregnancy is the cause of behavioral problems, but it does raise concerns that exposure to it in the womb can increase neurodevelopmental problems. Previous research on mice has shown acetaminophen alters brain development, as it disrupts hormonal function in a developing fetus.

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