Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children's risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analysis. This suggests that associations observed in other models may have been attrib...
Both the exposed and the unexposed children of mothers with long-term use of acetaminophen in one of the pregnancies had increased risk of receiving an ADHD diagnosis. This indicates that the observed association between long...
No one should take medical advice from a 79-year old fat guy who's not a doctor. Or, from any of these anonymous posters on this thread. Including me. Do your own research. Talk to professionals you trust. And make your own decisions.
I don't trust the the FDA and I tend to look at the data (or lack of it) supporting their posiition, but their actual announcement on Tylenol seems reasonable as far as it goes. Here's the notice to doctors. I've bolded points for emphasis. Other than omitting that alternative therapies exist for managing pain, it's very similar to what I posted a few days ago.
. . . . . .
Notice to Physicians on the Use of Acetaminophen During Pregnancy
In recent years, evidence has accumulated suggesting that the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children. Some studies have described that the risk may be most pronounced when acetaminophen is taken chronically throughout pregnancy to childbirth. These concerns may be magnified by the fact that a very young child’s liver may still be developing and thus a child’s ability to metabolize the drug may be limited.
To be clear, while an association between acetaminophen and autism has been described in many studies, a causal relationship has not been established and there are contrary studies in the scientific literature. The association is an ongoing area of scientific debate and clinicians should be aware of the issue in their clinical decision-making, especially given that most short-term fevers in pregnant women and young children do not require medication.
In the spirit of patient safety and prudent medicine, clinicians should consider minimizing the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy for routine low-grade fevers. This consideration should also be balanced with the fact that acetaminophen is the safest over-the-counter alternative in pregnancy among all analgesics and antipyretics; aspirin and ibuprofen have well-documented adverse impacts on the fetus.
. . . . . .
NOTE: While this is reasonable as far as it goes, it does not stress that although existing studies might not be definitive, they did show a higher potential correlation with chronic use of Tylenol. Aches and pains are normal during pregnancy and many women are taking Tylenol like candy. Non-drug alternatives exist to manage pain and should be considered the first line of treatment for pain: yoga, massage, warm baths, less time on feet, etc.
I think still it fearmongers because the data linking autism to tylenol is not nearly as strong as they claim (and they dont even make that strong a claim here).
But, the recommendation is sound. Consult with your doctor before taking medications when pregnant.
Their claims still outstrip the evidence - we shouldn’t be highlighting tenuous links that haven’t stood up to more rigorous study - but the final recommendation isn’t too crazy.
NOTE: While this is reasonable as far as it goes, it does not stress that although existing studies might not be definitive, they did show a higher potential correlation with chronic use of Tylenol. Aches and pains are normal during pregnancy and many women are taking Tylenol like candy. Non-drug alternatives exist to manage pain and should be considered the first line of treatment for pain: yoga, massage, warm baths, less time on feet, etc.
The link between elevated body temperature during pregnancy and congenital defects is well-established. The evidence is way stronger than for Tylenol, which is pretty much the only antipyretic drug that has not been convincingly shown to be harmful if taken during pregnancy. Taking a warm bath carries some risk; massages also can be risky if not performed properly. As you see, a lot of things carry some pregnancy risk, Massages and warm baths rank higher than Tylenol in this list.
NOTE: While this is reasonable as far as it goes, it does not stress that although existing studies might not be definitive, they did show a higher potential correlation with chronic use of Tylenol. Aches and pains are normal during pregnancy and many women are taking Tylenol like candy. Non-drug alternatives exist to manage pain and should be considered the first line of treatment for pain: yoga, massage, warm baths, less time on feet, etc.
The link between elevated body temperature during pregnancy and congenital defects is well-established. The evidence is way stronger than for Tylenol, which is pretty much the only antipyretic drug that has not been convincingly shown to be harmful if taken during pregnancy. Taking a warm bath carries some risk; massages also can be risky if not performed properly. As you see, a lot of things carry some pregnancy risk, Massages and warm baths rank higher than Tylenol in this list.
Great point. Pregnant moms are told to do/not do so many things. Adding additional things to fret about is harmful unless very well justified. “Let’s just be safe” doesn’t work when the lifestyle changes are already extreme for most women.
