ArticlePaediatric and perinatal epidemiology2020
Maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy and childhood behavioural problems: Discrepancies between mother- and teacher-reported outcomes.
Article in Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluation of the evidence on acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders using the Navigation Guide methodology.Environmental health : a global access science source · 2025Pooled it
- Associations of maternal blood biomarkers of prenatal APAP exposure with placental gene expression and child attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Nature. Mental health · 2025Article
- Maternal acetaminophen use and cognitive development at 4 years: the Ontario Birth Study.Pediatric research · 2023Article
- Prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and adolescent assessment of behavior: Discrepancies by age and reporter.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023Article
- A Systematic Review of the Link Between Autism Spectrum Disorder and Acetaminophen: A Mystery to Resolve.Cureus · 2022Review
- Paracetamol (Acetaminophen) and the Developing Brain.International journal of molecular sciences · 2021Review
- Behavioral Problems at Age 11 Years After Prenatal and Postnatal Exposure to Acetaminophen: Parent-Reported and Self-Reported Outcomes.American journal of epidemiology · 2021Article
- Intrauterine Exposure to Acetaminophen and Adverse Developmental Outcomes: Epidemiological Findings and Methodological Issues.Current environmental health reports · 2021Review
- Associations between prenatal acetaminophen exposure and child neurodevelopment: Truth, bias, or a bit of both?Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMaternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy is common and has been associated with childhood behavioural problems among offspring, specifically hyperactivity and conduct problems.
objectiveAssessments of child behaviour in many previous studies have relied on maternal or parent report. Acknowledging that results of behavioural assessments vary between informants, we examined the association between maternal acetaminophen use during pregnancy and behaviour problems in childhood based on mother- and teacher-report.
methodsA longitudinal study of 560 mother-child pairs with data on illnesses and medication use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental assessments during childhood was conducted. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was captured using a standardised maternal interview, completed 1 year after delivery on average. Measures of childhood (6-12 years of age) behaviour were obtained via mother- and teacher-report, using the Child Behaviour Checklist and Teacher Report Form. Linear and log-binomial models were used to calculate adjusted mean differences (MD) and risk ratios (RR), respectively and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for internalising, externalising, and total behaviour problems comparing acetaminophen users to non-users. Stabilized inverse probability weights were used to account for loss to follow-up, and adjustments for indication were made.
resultsApproximately 60% (n = 354) of women reported use of acetaminophen during pregnancy. Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was associated with an increase in total behaviour problem score and risk of clinical behaviour problems according to mother report (MD 2.2, 95% CI 0.3, 4.1 and RR 1.93, 95% CI 0.99, 3.76) but not according to teacher report. Weighting to account for participation did not alter results, while adjustment for indications of acetaminophen use greatly attenuated the associations with mother-reported total behaviour problem score and risk of clinical behaviour problems (MD 0.1, 95% CI -2.1, 2.3 and RR 1.31, 95% CI 0.67, 2.58).
conclusionsAcetaminophen use during pregnancy was weakly associated with mother-reported behaviour problems and not associated with teacher-reported problems.
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