The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) states, “ACOG and obstetrician-gynecologists across the country have always identified acetaminophen as one of the only safe pain relievers for pregnant individuals during pregnancy. This consensus statement, and studies that have been conducted in the past, show no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during any trimester and fetal developmental issues.”
In my opinion, acetaminophen is not safe for use during pregnancy. It’s unfortunate that ACOG holds firm in the opinion that acetaminophen is safe when recent studies have shown otherwise.
Furthermore, simply understanding the drug’s mechanism of action should give anyone cause for concern about its use by anyone — much less pregnant women. An important consensus statement published in the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology on September 23, 2021 was titled, “Paracetamol [acetaminophen] use during pregnancy — a call for precautionary action.” The authors pointed out that acetaminophen is the active ingredient in more than 600 medications used to relieve mild to moderate pain and reduce fever.
The scientists wrote, “. . . increasing experimental and epidemiological research suggests that prenatal exposure to APAP [an acetaminophen tablet] might alter fetal development, which could increase the risks of some neurodevelopmental, reproductive, and urogenital disorders.” They further stated, “We recommend that pregnant women should be cautioned at the beginning of pregnancy to: forego APAP unless its use is medically indicated; consult with a physician or pharmacist if they are uncertain whether use is indicated and before using on a long-term basis; and minimize exposure by using the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time.”
This consensus statement was supported by physicians and scientists around the world. And I could not agree more. There’s no doubt that we are seeing increased rates of illness among newborns and young children. Even early in my career, I didn’t see sick babies and children in the numbers I’m seeing now — suffering from neurological, endocrinological, and urogenital as well as cognitive and behavioral disorders.
From 2009 to 2017, The U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that one in six American children ages 3 to 17 had a diagnosis of developmental disability, representing nearly a 10 percent increase in the rate of developmental disabilities.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about one in 44 American children have been identified as having autism spectrum disorder, which is four times more common in boys. And keep in mind that the number of children being diagnosed with autism has increased exponentially over the last 100 years.
When I was in elementary school, I don’t recall there being an autistic child in my class. But now, some elementary schools are being overwhelmed with children suffering from neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
Why is this happening? Because the phenomenon is occurring across the United States, as well as Western countries such as the UK, it stands to reason that there’s a common link causing it.