ArticleThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism2022
Acetaminophen (APAP, Paracetamol) Interferes With the First Trimester Human Fetal Ovary Development in an Ex Vivo Model.
Article in The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Integrative Bioinformatic and Epidemiological Analysis of Acetaminophen Use and Risk of Sex Hormone-Related Cancers.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Pooled it
- USP9X as a Candidate Mediator of Prenatal Aspirin-Induced Ovarian Reserve Reduction in Offspring Mice.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Connecting prenatal exposure to paracetamol with postnatal reproductive development: a first of its kind study in reproductive toxicology.Human reproduction open · 2026Article
- Fetal exposure to paracetamol is associated with altered markers of ovarian development and reduced uterine volume in girls: the COPANA study.Human reproduction open · 2026Article
- Sesamin alleviates drug-induced hepatotoxicity via autophagy enhancement and ferroptosis inhibition.Redox report : communications in free radical research · 2025Article
- Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and female reproductive health: a growing concern.Nature reviews. Endocrinology · 2025Review
- EndoCompass Project: Environmental Endocrinology.Hormone research in paediatrics · 2025Review
- Beyond defence: Immune architects of ovarian health and disease.Seminars in immunopathology · 2024Review
- The profile of steroid hormones in human fetal and adult ovaries.Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E · 2024Article
- Inhibitory Effect of Acetaminophen on Ocular Pigmentation and its Relationship with Thyroxine in Zebrafish Embryos.Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology · 2024Article
- Potential adverse actions of prenatal exposure of acetaminophen to offspring.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2023Review
- Reproductive toxicity of combined effects of endocrine disruptors on human reproduction.Frontiers in cell and developmental biology · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
contextAcetaminophen (APAP, paracetamol) is widely used by pregnant women. Although long considered safe, growing evidence indicates that APAP is an endocrine disruptor since in utero exposure may be associated with a higher risk of male genital tract abnormalities. In rodents, fetal exposure has long-term effects on the reproductive function of female offspring. Human studies have also suggested harmful APAP exposure effects.
objectiveGiven that disruption of fetal ovarian development may impact women's reproductive health, we investigated the effects of APAP on fetal human ovaries in culture. DESIGN AND
settingHuman ovarian fragments from 284 fetuses aged 7 to 12 developmental weeks (DW) were cultivated ex vivo for 7 days in the presence of human-relevant concentrations of APAP (10-8 to 10-3 M) or vehicle control.
main outcome measuresOutcomes included examination of postculture tissue morphology, cell viability, apoptosis, and quantification of hormones, APAP, and APAP metabolites in conditioned culture media.
resultsAPAP reduced the total cell number specifically in 10- to 12-DW ovaries, induced cell death, and decreased KI67-positive cell density independently of fetal age. APAP targeted subpopulations of germ cells and disrupted human fetal ovarian steroidogenesis, without affecting prostaglandin or inhibin B production. Human fetal ovaries were able to metabolize APAP.
conclusionsOur data indicate that APAP can impact first trimester human fetal ovarian development, especially during a 10- to 12-DW window of heightened sensitivity. Overall, APAP behaves as an endocrine disruptor in the fetal human ovary.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.