Tylenol® is the brand name for acetaminophen, which is labeled paracetamol in some other countries. It is a common over-the-counter medication used to relieve pain and lower high fever. It’s commonly used for headaches, muscle aches, menstrual cramps, toothaches, back pain, and fevers, but as with anything you eat or drink, it should be taken cautiously - especially during pregnancy.
The most recent concern with acetaminophen is taking it during pregnancy. This is a valid concern for several reasons, and it should be used with caution during pregnancy because:
You should never use an adult dose; even though the mother is an adult, the fetus is not, so take a dose that is recommended for an infant because the fetus receives everything before the mother does; a fetus does not need to receive an adult dose of any medication;
Acetaminophen has been proven to penetrate into the brain, so it will affect the brain development of a growing fetus;
Acetaminophen has been shown to adversely affect your liver, so it can affect the liver of a developing fetus.
How It Works
Acetaminophen works because it affects your brain’s pain perception, and it lowers a fever by acting on the hypothalamus in your brain - the hypothalamus regulates your body’s temperature.
A good Rule of Thumb when you are pregnant is your baby will first get whatever you eat or drink that penetrates the placenta before you get access to it. This is why it is common for pregnant women to be depleted in nutrients during pregnancy - the baby gets them first, and the mother gets what’s leftover.
This means if you take medications during pregnancy, your baby gets the dose of medicine before you do.
Why Be Cautious
Acetaminophen penetrates into your brain, and it affects the glands in your brain, like the hypothalamus. A typical dose for an adult is 325–650 mg every 4–6 hours, not to exceed 3,000–4,000 mg per day. An overdose can cause serious liver damage, nausea, vomiting, and confusion.
The recommended dose of acetaminophen (Tylenol or generic) for children depends on their weight, age, and if they take a liquid or a tablet. Dosing is more accurately calculated by weight as it’s more precise than age.
Not Recommended For Newborns
The standard dose of acetaminophen for a child is 10–15 mg per kg of body weight every 4–6 hours, not exceeding 5 doses in 24 hours, but acetaminophen (Tylenol or generic) is generally not recommended for newborns or infants under 3 months of age without explicit guidance from their doctor.
Why?
Newborns have immature livers, which can make processing acetaminophen very risky, and this can lead to liver damage. Dosing for newborns is highly individualized and depends on their weight, age, and medical conditions.
Now consider a fetus. It’s weight is less than a newborn’s, and its brain and liver are still developing in the womb. When taking acetaminophen, the mother should actually take a dose less than what’s recommended for a newborn, but what generally happens? The mother takes an adult dose.
The fetus can have neurological damage and liver side-effects at adult dose levels. Now do you understand why acetaminophen can be a cause of autism?
Potential Risks
Research has raised serious concerns about using acetaminophen during pregnancy for good reason.
Neurological and developmental effects that can result in mental conditions such as autism. Studies beginning in 2018 show a link between prolonged and high-dose acetaminophen use with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental issues, such as ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.
Reproductive effects in studies show a link between acetaminophen use in the second trimester with developmental risks like undescended testicles in male fetuses and altered genital development.
Asthma is a possible association with acetaminophen use, but this needs to be studied more.
Remember that everything you eat and drink when you’re pregnant is absorbed by your baby first, so be very cautious eating or drinking anything that has been proven to be toxic. Acetaminophen has been shown in research studies to affect the brain and liver, so monitor your doses if you must use acetaminophen during pregnancy.
Your baby will thank you for it.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only, and is educational in nature. The FDA may not have evaluated some of the statements. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please discuss with your own, qualified health care provider before adding supplements or making any changes to your dietary program.
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