A consensus statement by 13 doctors in different countries suggests that pregnant people only take paracetamol/acetaminophen if it is medically necessary, Their paper, published in the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology, the group paracetamol/acetaminophen (APAP).
In the same journal issue, an accompanying Editorial outlines the consensus statement and noting that its authors are not calling for a ban on the drug being used, instead they are suggesting that it be taken more cautiously by pregnant women because of a possible risk of birth defects.
Research in recent years has shown that it is possible under some circumstances for APAP to alter foetal development which can herald problems with neurological, urological and reproductive disorders in the baby – the authors found evidence of birth defects in 26 out of 29 studies. The authors call for more research into the possible problems with the drug’s use by pregnant women. They also acknowledge – as do several experts in a reaction piece published on the Science Media Centre site – that APAP is the only pain management drug available for pregnant women. And they point out that medical use of APAP is generally warranted when the mother experiences problems that can negatively impact her baby – such as having a fever. But they also note that pregnant women’s APAP use appears to have crept up into general use as it has gained a reputation as being safe to use as an all-purpose painkiller.
The expert group and the authors of the new paper notably both point out that the recommendation does not differ from that already in use by most OB/GYNs – and similar wording generally appears on bottles of products based on APAP, such as Tylenol.
The consensus statement’s authors say their intention behind the article is to bring renewed and more focused attention to the possibility of APAP use leading to certain birth defects and the conditions under which they might arise. They note that current research has shown, for example, that the risk of harm seems to rise as the duration of APAP use goes up. In light of this, they suggest pregnant women consider using the drug for short term pain management, rather than as a long-term solution.
Source: Medical Xpress
