ArticleActa obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica2023
Paracetamol use in pregnancy: Not as safe as we may think?
Article in Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 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
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prenatal exposure to paracetamol and risk of autism spectrum disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.Revista brasileira de ginecologia e obstetricia : revista da Federacao Brasileira das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetricia · 2026Pooled it
- Sex-specific considerations in migraine therapy.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2026Review
- Paracetamol in pregnancy: Navigating clinical uncertainty and avoiding the communication pitfalls of the "measles, mumps, and rubella" - autism controversy: A narrative review.EXCLI journal · 2026Review
- Paracetamol, its metabolites, and their transfer between maternal circulation and fetal brain in mono- and combination therapies.Pharmacological reports : PR · 2025Article
- Entry of cannabidiol into the fetal, postnatal and adult rat brain.Cell and tissue research · 2024Article
- Health equity, care access and quality in headache - part 2.The journal of headache and pain · 2023Review
- Paracetamol use in pregnancy: Not as safe as we may think?Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2023Article
- Potential adverse actions of prenatal exposure of acetaminophen to offspring.Frontiers in pharmacology · 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
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Paracetamol is used by more than 50% of women worldwide during pregnancy; headache representing the most frequent indication. Several studies report that long-term exposure to paracetamol in utero is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, indicating a dose-response effect. However, less or no risk is found to be associated with short-term exposure. Paracetamol most likely crosses the placenta through passive diffusion, and there are several possible mechanisms for how paracetamol might affect fetal brain development. Although the literature suggests an association between prenatal paracetamol exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, the role of confounders cannot be ruled out. Consequently, as a precaution, we believe that pregnant women should be recommended ideally to only use paracetamol to treat conditions that might harm the fetus, such as severe pain or a high fever. This Comment aims to put focus on the potential fetal risks of paracetamol exposure in utero.
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.