Overview

• The analysis pooled 46 studies covering over 100,000 pregnancies and applied the Navigation Guide method to assess study quality and bias.
• Twenty-seven studies showed positive associations between maternal paracetamol use and higher risks of autism spectrum disorders and ADHD, while nine found no link and four indicated possible protective effects.
• Researchers stress that observational data cannot establish causality and highlight potential confounding factors such as underlying maternal conditions that prompted drug use.
• Proposed biological pathways include placental transfer of the drug, oxidative stress, hormonal disruption and epigenetic modifications.
• Given that more than half of pregnant women use paracetamol globally, the team recommends restricting intake to the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration under medical supervision.