Comparison of fetal growth by maternal prenatal acetaminophen use

BACKGROUND: Equivocal findings exist regarding prenatal acetaminophen use and various adverse neonatal and childhood health outcomes, though with no data on fetal growth. We evaluated whether fetal growth differed by maternal acetaminophen use. METHODS: Racially diverse, healthy women with low-risk antenatal profiles from 12 U.S. clinical centers were enrolled in a prospective cohort study and followed until delivery. Ultrasound measurements of fetal parameters and self-reported prenatal acetaminophen use were collected at enrollment and up to 5 follow-up visits. Prenatal acetaminophen use was dichotomized as none or any. RESULTS: Among2,291 women, 932 (41%) reported the use of acetaminophen medications during the current pregnancy. Estimated growth curves of fetal parameters did not differ between women reporting use of any medication containing acetaminophen and women with no reported use of the same. CONCLUSION: Among healthy mothers with low-risk pregnancies, maternal acetaminophen use was not associated with alterations in fetal growth.