Mothers-to-be who take paracetamol are more likely to have children with behavioural problems, new research suggests.

Scientists have found an association between mothers who took the drug in the first and third trimester of pregnancy and hyperactivity and emotional problems in their seven-year-old children.

Paracetamol is the world’s most popular painkiller and is the only one deemed safe to take during pregnancy.

But there is a growing body of research suggesting it could affect the development of children in the womb, with studies linking it with conditions as diverse as asthma, infertility and autism.

Pregnant women have been told there is no need to panic – they should continue to take the lowest dose needed for the shortest time possible and see their doctor if they have any concerns.

In the latest research, carried out by the University of Bristol, scientists analysed records of 7,796 mothers who gave birth between 1991 and 1992 in the UK.

The mothers had been asked at 18 weeks and 32 weeks of pregnancy whether they had taken any paracetamol.

They and their partners were asked again about their paracetamol use when the child was 61 months old. Children were then tested at seven years old to see if they had any emotional or behavioural problems.

Just over half of mothers had used the painkiller at 18 weeks, with 42 per cent using it at 32 weeks. Following birth, 84 per cent of mothers and their partners used it. 

Around 5 per cent of the children studied had behavioural problems.

Source: Daily Mail