Paracetamol "Safe" In Mothers And Babies

Amid the furore over the use of paracetamol as an over-the-counter analgesic (Marketletter December 2), a UK study of more than 12,000 women has shown that paracetamol is safe for both mothers and babies in pregnancy.

According to a report in the British Medical Journal (November 30), more than 3,000 hospital admissions and over 150 fatalities in the UK every year result from paracetamol poisoning. As a consequence of this, the UK government has proposed that packs of paracetamol available to the general public be limited to contain no more than 12 tablets/capsules, and that pharmacy sales of the drug be limited to 30 tablets/capsules.

ALSPAC Study However, findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood, part of a wider European venture, found that the use of paracetamol in pregnancy is not associated with any adverse effect on pregnancy itself, and does not affect the development of the child in any way. 43.6% of the women took paracetamol during the first six months of their pregnancy.