Paracetamol: study finds potential risks of using it during pregnancy

Paracetamol (or acetaminophen) should only be used in pregnancy for medical indications and in the lowest doses for the shortest possible period, according to an expert consensus statement published in the latest issue of Nature Reviews Endocrinology.

The authors of a new study advocate for more research into how that popular drug might, among other things,

Paracetamol is used frequently during the gestation period and, according to estimated figures, it is used by up to 65% of pregnant women in the United States and

However, more and more studies suggest that prenatal exposure to this drug could alter the development of the fetus and increase the risk of certain neurological, reproductive and urogenital disorders.

Study co-leader and expert David Kristensen of the University of Copenhagen and a group of colleagues from other academic centers in the United States conducted a review of animal- and cell-based research and human epidemiology related to it.

As they detected, exposure to paracetamol in humans could.

The epidemiological findings are supported by experimental studies showing adverse effects in animal and cell models.

In a virtual meeting, Kristensen observed that “data suggest that more than 50% of women around the world consume during pregnancy “ this medicine “that to relieve mild and moderate pain and reduce fever “.

“Many of these women do not consider it a real drug with potential side effects”, said.

The expert considered that “It is important to bear in mind that this drug , in contrast to other medications such as Ibuprofen and aspirin and is not contraindicated for late pregnancy “.

Yes it is recommended in boxes of “High fever or severe pain” in pregnant women.

Shanna Swan, from the Icahn School Of Medicine Of Mount Sinai, stressed that “We now know that paracetamol is an endocrine disrupting chemical” and pointed out that there is a “Significant evidence suggesting that (paracetamol) alters reproductive processes in animals and humans.”

Experts suggest that pregnant women receive counseling in the early stages of pregnancy and do not take paracetamol unless expressly indicated by a physician; They urge you to consult a professional in case it is to be used for a long time and urge you to minimize the risk by taking the lowest possible dose for the shortest possible period.

Delta variant of COVID-19 is now predominant in Peru: five things you should know