There is no statistically significant evidence that taking acetaminophen, also known as Tylenol, during pregnancy negatively affects how early a child is born or a child's birth weight, according to new research led by environmental scientists at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.
A new study, published recently in the American Journal of Epidemiology, examined a large group of pregnancies in the United States through a National Institutes of Health (NIH) program. It found that acetaminophen use during pregnancy did not significantly affect gestational age (how early a child is born) or average birth weight.
When birth weight was considered in relation to when the child was delivered—classified as small-for-gestational-age (SGA) or large-for-gestational-age (LGA)—the study found an association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and lower odds of a child being born large for their gestational age.
"Given the widespread use of acetaminophen, these findings offer important reassurance about its safety with respect to birth timing and infant size," said senior author Rebecca Fry, Ph.D., the Carol Remmer Angle Distinguished Professor and chair of environmental sciences and engineering.
