Primal Health Databank: Study
| Entry No: | 0982 |
| Title: | Association of Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy With Behavioral Problems in Childhood: Evidence Against Confounding. |
| Author(s): | Thapar A, Davey Smith G |
| Reference: | JAMA Pediatr. 2016 Aug 15. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2016.1775. [Epub ahead of print] |
| Place of Study: | UK |
| Abstract: | From February 2015 to March 2016, the authors collected and analyzed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), a prospective birth cohort. They studied 7796 mothers enrolled in ALSPAC between 1991 and 1992 along with their children and partners.
Acetaminophen use was assessed by questionnaire completion at 18 and 32 weeks of pregnancy and when the child was 61 months old.
Maternal reports of behavioral problems using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) when the children were 7 years old. Risk ratios were estimated for behavioral problems in children after prenatal, postnatal, and partner's exposure to acetaminophen and mutually adjusted each association.
Maternal prenatal acetaminophen use at 18 (n = 4415; 53%) and 32 weeks of pregnancy (n = 3381; 42%) was associated with higher odds of having conduct problems (risk ratio [RR], 1.42; 95% CI, 1.25-1.62) and hyperactivity symptoms (RR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.16-1.49), while maternal acetaminophen use at 32 weeks was also associated with higher odds of having emotional symptoms (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.09-1.53) and total difficulties (RR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.21-1.77). This was not the case for maternal postnatal (n = 6916; 89%) or partner's (n = 3454; 84%) acetaminophen use. The associations between maternal prenatal acetaminophen use and all the SDQ domains were unchanged even after adjusting for maternal postnatal or partner's acetaminophen use.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:
Children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties, and the associations do not appear to be explained by unmeasured behavioral or social factors linked to acetaminophen use insofar as they are not observed for postnatal or partner's acetaminophen use. Although these results could have implications for public health advice, further studies are required to replicate the findings and to understand mechanisms. |
| Keyword(s): | acetaminophen, behavioral problems, paracetamol |
| Discussion: | No discussion mentioned for this entry |
| See Also: | No related entries mentioned for this entry |
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