Acetaminophen (Tylenol) During Pregnancy Linked to Child Behavior Problems

Think twice about Tylenol during pregnancy

Tylenol use during pregnancy linked to multiple behavior difficulties in children

Aches and pains during pregnancy frequently cause women to reach for what they think is a safe pain reliever, but a recent study calls into question the safety of one the most common pain medications used during pregnancy - acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Researchers studied 7796 pregnant mothers and followed up over 5 years to evaluate the behavior of their children. After ruling out other factors, the researchers concluded that "Children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties."

Use of acetaminophen during pregnancy was linked to a variety of behavior problems in the children:

• 46% increased risk of "total difficulties"
• 42% increased risk of conduct problems
• 31% increased risk of hyperactivity symptoms
• 29% increased risk of emotional problems

Scientists suspect the fetus is most susceptible to acetaminophen during periods of brain development during the second and third trimester. With around half of the women in this study taking acetaminophen during this development period, this has the potential to be a major public health problem that has been overlooked by doctors and mothers.

While some medications are clearly linked to birth defects or other development problems, it is difficult to determine if other meds thought to be safe really cause no harm to the developing fetus. The best guarantee is avoiding medication whenever possible. Aches and pains during pregnancy should first be relieved with safe and effective chiropractic treatment or other non-drug conservative care options. Not only has chiropractic treatment been found to safely relieve pain during pregnancy; it's also been linked to an easier shorter labor. That's good news for mom and baby.