Dr Alison Cave, Chief Safety Officer at the MHRA, said:
Patient safety is our top priority. There is no evidence that
taking paracetamol during pregnancy causes autism in
children.
Paracetamol remains the recommended pain relief option for
pregnant women when used as directed. Pregnant women should
continue to follow existing NHS guidance and speak to their
healthcare professional if they have questions about any
medication during pregnancy. Untreated pain and fever can pose
risks to the unborn baby, so it is important to manage these
symptoms with the recommended treatment.
Our advice on medicines in pregnancy is based on rigorous
assessment of the best available scientific evidence. Any
new evidence that could affect our recommendations would be
carefully evaluated by our independent scientific experts.
We continuously monitor the safety of all medicines, including
those used during pregnancy, through robust monitoring and
surveillance. We encourage anyone to report any suspected side
effects to us via the Yellow Card scheme.
Notes to Editors:
-
Paracetamol is recommended as the first-choice painkiller for
pregnant women, used at the lowest dose and for the shortest
duration. If pain does not resolve, then patients are advised
to seek advice from their healthcare professional. See NHS
Guidance – Pregnancy, breastfeeding and
fertility while taking paracetamol for adults
-
The MHRA regularly reviews the safety of paracetamol during
pregnancy to ensure that the benefits to the patient and
unborn baby outweigh any risks.
-
Patients should not stop taking their pain medicines as
untreated pain and fever can pose risks to the unborn
child.
-
Members of the public and healthcare professionals are
encouraged to report any suspected side effect from
medicines, including paracetamol, to the MHRA's Yellow
Card scheme.
-
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA) is responsible for regulating all medicines and
medical devices in the UK by ensuring they work and are
acceptably safe. All work is underpinned by robust and
fact-based judgements to ensure that benefits justify any
risks.
-
The MHRA is an executive agency of the Department of Health
and Social Care.
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