Acetaminophen, the prime ingredient present in Tylenol is considered absolutely safe to be used in pregnancy.
Recently a study showed that children who were exposed to Acetaminophen for 28 days or more suffered from adverse developmental results at age of 3. So as per studies, using Acetaminophen for a long-term during pregnancy is not recommended.
Pregnant women suffering from anemia, liver or kidney disease should speak to their physicians before they start using Acetaminophen.
Precautions
Pregnant women should take less doses of Acetaminophen to treat pain, which can be mild to moderate in nature and for fever. The maximum dose of Acetaminophen that is allowed on a daily basis is 4000mg. Using excess dose of Acetaminophen that is more than 4000mg per day can result in kidney disease, liver disease and anemia. If you are suffering from any of the diseases mentioned above currently, talk to your obstetrician about the after effects of using Acetaminophen.
Effects of Acetaminophen on Pregnancy
Acetaminophen is basically considered safe to be used during pregnancy. There is no high risk of fetal death, miscarriage or maternal death related to use of medicine as per the instructions given on the package.
Some studies say that regular use of Acetaminophen during your pregnancy in second trimester can lead to risk of developing asthma or wheezing. The risk is quite less and doctors say the risk associated with untreated fever is higher than the risks associated with side effects that cause lung problems. Consuming Acetaminophen has not shown any effect on intelligence or brain development.
Acetaminophen is believed to be the safest OTP medicine that can be used during pregnancy provided that the pregnant women avoid taking Acetaminophen in excessive amounts.
Acetaminophen and Breast Feeding – Is it safe?
There are no side effects mentioned for using Acetaminophen when breastfeeding feeding your baby. The fever reducer or pain reliever progress to the foetus, but only when the approved levels for consumption are not followed in case of infants. There are no birth defects related to use of Acetaminophen at prescribed doses. Use of Acetaminophen for breastfeeding mothers is also supported by WHO as well. For nursing mothers use of Acetaminophen is safe as the amount of Acetaminophen passed in milk is quite less as compared to the dose given to infants. The side effects in infants are quite rare. The dose of Acetaminophen was undetected when given to nursing mother after 2-22 months post delivery. The doe of Acetaminophen given was 650 mg.
Nursing mothers need not worry about whether the amount of Acetaminophen will pass through the milk to their baby while breastfeeding as its completely safe. Make sure you take Acetaminophen in recommended doses only.
As per the studies there is no need to worry about the adverse effects of Acetaminophen in pregnant and nursing mothers. The only thing you should remember is to speak to your doctor for the right dose. Your doctor can help you answer your queries about Acetaminophen.
Complete disclosure on neurodevelopmental outcomes from pregnancy acetaminophen would mention the six additional studies since Brandlistuen et al. 2013. These studies suggest increased risk of autism and ADHD symptoms, as well as, lower IQ in offspring. Most studies showed higher risk from more prolonged acetaminophen use. Untreated fever in pregnancy has serious risks, in this case, women should consult with their physician. Facebook.com/AcetaminophenResearch/