Paracetamol in pregnancy increases risk of ADHD in children: Study

A new study has found women who take paracetamol during pregnancy increases their babies risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by 30%, the Daily Mail reported.

Researcher found the painkiller also raises the risk of autism by 20%.

"Our findings suggest an association between prolonged acetaminophen use and an increase in the risk of autism and ADHD," study author Dr Ilan Matok, from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, told the Daily Mail.

Researchers have not yet determined why the drug can lead to ADHD and autism. However, previous research has linked paracetamol to low IQ and issues with communication in children whose mother did take the drug while pregnant.

The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has reported close to 65% women in America take the drug when expecting a child.

"While unnecessary use of any medication should be avoided in pregnancy, we believe our findings should not alter current practice and women should not avoid use of short term acetaminophen when clinically needed," Dr Matok explained.

The findings were originally published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.