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Prenatal paracetamol exposure and risk of asthma and elevated immunoglobulin E in childhood

S O Shaheen1, R B Newson, A J Henderson

  • 1Department of Public Health Sciences, Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine, King's College London, London, UK. seif.shaheen@kcl.ac.uk

Clinical and Experimental Allergy : Journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology
|January 15, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Maternal use of paracetamol (acetaminophen) in late pregnancy is linked to increased risks of childhood asthma and wheezing. This study suggests a potential causal relationship between prenatal paracetamol exposure and respiratory issues in children.

Area of Science:

  • Perinatal Epidemiology
  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Pharmacovigilance

Background:

  • Previous research indicated a link between late-pregnancy paracetamol (acetaminophen) use and early wheezing in offspring.
  • This association warrants further investigation into long-term respiratory and atopic outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between paracetamol use in late pregnancy and the risk of asthma, wheezing, and other atopic conditions in school-aged children.
  • To examine the relationship between prenatal paracetamol exposure and atopy and total IgE levels at age seven.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a population-based cohort.
  • Analyzed associations between paracetamol/aspirin use (20-32 weeks gestation) and offspring outcomes (asthma, wheezing, hayfever, eczema, atopy, total IgE) using logistic and linear regression.
  • Controlled for potential confounding factors in the statistical models.

Main Results:

  • Paracetamol use in late pregnancy was significantly associated with increased odds of childhood asthma (P trend = 0.0037) and wheezing (P trend = 0.011).
  • Elevated total IgE levels were also observed in children whose mothers used paracetamol during late pregnancy (P trend = 0.0034).
  • No significant associations were found for hayfever, eczema, or skin test positivity. Approximately 7% of asthma cases were attributed to late-pregnancy paracetamol use.

Conclusions:

  • Exposure to paracetamol in late gestation may be a contributing factor to the development of asthma, wheezing, and elevated IgE levels in school-aged children.
  • Findings suggest a potential causal link requiring consideration in clinical practice regarding paracetamol use during pregnancy.
Abstract

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