A recent study done by JAMA Pediatrics suggests that mothers who use ibuprofen during pregnancy reported greater ADHD-like symptoms in their children.
The Research
Scientists learned that acetaminophen used in the last two trimesters of pregnancy generated a 63 percent greater risk for ADHD symptoms.
The risk fell to 28 percent during the third trimester and in just the first trimester it was only 9 percent.
Dr. Beate Ritz, professor in UCLA’s department of epidemiology said, “The causes of ADHD are not well understood, but both environmental and genetic factors contribute”. “We know there has been a rapid increase in childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, including ADHD, over the past decades, and it’s likely that the rise is not solely attributable to better diagnoses or parental awareness. It’s likely there are environmental components as well,” Dr. Ritz also stated.
However a further investigation regarding this finding is needed to actually link acetaminophen and ADHD, although the association is relevant.
Ibuprofen During Pregnancy Drug Risk Categories
The FDA has control over classifying the safety of certain drugs during pregnancy, a set of labels called the Pregnancy Risk Categories.
They include A,B,C,D,X and N. Categories A-D move from the safest drugs to the ones more likely to cause problems during pregnancy. Category X drugs are unsafe and should not be consumed by any woman who is pregnant.
Category N drugs include drugs that have not been tested so the FDA can’t offer a suggestion.
Acetaminophen falls into the B category, but ibuprofen received a D, which is another common pain reliever. Neither of these medications should be taken heavily during pregnancy or during the third trimester.
For more information regarding the link to acetaminophen use and pregnancy contact your local health provider. Or please check out and visit FDA.gov.