Research reveals that taking Tylenol during pregnancy can give your baby asthma

Thursday, February 25, 2016 by: Daniel Barker
Tags: pregnancy, Tylenol, pain relief

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(NaturalNews) New research indicates that the children of mothers who take Tylenol during pregnancy have a greater chance of developing asthma.

The study, published February 9 in the International Journal of Epidemiology, suggests that an increased risk of asthma in children is associated with the prenatal use of acetaminophen – the main ingredient in the over-the-counter painkiller, Tylenol.

Although the study was not designed to prove a cause-and-effect relationship between the drug and the disease, the results are nonetheless significant, and would certainly indicate the need for further research into the subject.

As reported by Newsmax Health:

"In the study, Norwegian researchers tracked data from a large database -- the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.

"The investigators focused on conditions during pregnancy for which some expectant mothers took acetaminophen, and compared that data against rates of asthma among 114,500 children as they reached the ages of 3 and 7.

"Overall, 5.7 percent of the children were diagnosed with asthma by age 3, while 5.1 percent had developed the condition by the age of 7, according to the team led by Maria Magnus, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo.

"Her group found a consistent link between asthma among the 3-year-olds and exposure to acetaminophen before they were born. This link was strongest among children whose mother used the drug for more than one health complaint, the study authors said."

The results strongly indicate a link between asthma and the use of the drug itself, rather than the conditions it was used to treat; the ratios remained consistent whether acetaminophen was used for pain, flu or fever, etc.

The researchers found no link between acetaminophen use and children's asthma risk outside of pregnancy, or from their fathers' use of the painkiller.

Until now, Tylenol has been considered virtually the only safe OTC painkiller for pregnant women – aspirin and ibuprofen are considered unsafe to use during pregnancy.

And although the researchers concluded that "their findings do not confirm cause-and-effect, and do not warrant any changes in existing guidelines for the use of the painkiller by pregnant women," it would seem obvious that the best approach would be to avoid any pharmaceutical painkillers at all.

Natural pain relief during pregnancy

Pregnancy can be uncomfortable and painful at times – as any mother can attest – but there are numerous natural remedies and techniques that can bring relief, instead of having to resort to conventional painkilling drugs.

Back pain is common during pregnancy, and is probably one of the main reasons expectant mothers take painkillers.

The U.K.'s Baby Centre advises:

"Back pain is often caused by pregnancy hormones relaxing your ligaments, the tough tissues that connect your joints. The weight you naturally gain and changes to your posture as your bump grows can add to the problem.

"You're most likely to feel pain in your lower back. But you may also feel discomfort in your upper back, shoulders, between your breasts, and in your ribcage."

Exercise, weight management, massage, yoga, acupuncture and herbal remedies, can be very helpful alternatives to painkilling drugs. But before using herbal remedies during pregnancy, be sure to first consult a qualified medical herbalist. Some herbal remedies are not safe for pregnant women.

Natural pregnancy and childbirth techniques are as old as humankind; for thousands of generations women have been giving birth to healthy children without the aid of pharmaceuticals.

The appropriate diet and exercise regime, combined with a healthy, natural lifestyle during pregnancy, can help keep the discomfort to a minimum.

If pain becomes an issue, talk to your midwife and explore alternative pain management options, before resorting to drugs that could compromise your unborn child's health.

Sources:

NewsMax.com

BabyCentre.co.uk

TheStir.CafeMom.com

Science.NaturalNews.com