Acetaminophen use in pregnancy not linked to neurodevelopmental disorders, large study finds

Using acetaminophen during pregnancy was not associated with increased risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in children, according to a new study. The study analyzed the records of about 2.5 million children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019. While a statistical model found a marginally increased risk in the exposed group, a sibling analysis that looked at full sibling pairs found no evidence of increased risk. Sibling analyses are powerful because they control for environmental factors. The study’s findings refute previous research papers suggesting an increased risk.