Acetaminophen may be harmful during pregnancy, study finds

BALTIMORE, Md. (NBC) – Fetal exposure to a common pain reliever may have harmful effects on the child later in life. That’s according to a new study from Johns Hopkins University.

Researchers studied the cord blood of nearly a thousand mother and child pairs to determine their exposure to acetaminophen.

They found children exposed to higher levels of the drug while in the womb were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or autism than those with the least amount of exposure. However, the scientists say more research is needed.