A British study shows that taking too much paracetamol during pregnancy could reduce the production of testosterone in the baby.
Contrary to popular belief, taking paracetamol is not a trivial act without all consequences. And this, even more when these pain relievers are ingested chronically by a pregnant woman.
Indeed, according to a British study carried out by a group of researchers from the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), prolonged intake of paracetamol could have a strong impact on the production of testosterone in the fetus.
Consequences for the child’s future
Scientists have carried out several experiments on different guinea pigs to prove this drop in production. Thus, several grafts of human testicular tissue have been transplanted into mice to which a daily therapeutic dose of paracetamol has been administered. If after 24 hours the production of testosterone is not altered, it drops by nearly 45% after seven days of treatment.
The decrease in testosterone production in the fetus could be problematic for the future of the child. According to the authors, this could induce cases of undescended testicles, increase the risk of infertility but also testicular cancer.
For the moment, scientists have not yet succeeded in establishing a clear explanation between the drop in testosterone and paracetamol. According to the authors, more research should follow this first finding to explain the link between the two.
In the meantime, Professor Ron Mitchell of the University of Edinburgh advises pregnant women to “take the minimum dose in the shortest time” during occasional pain.
No contraindication during pregnancy
Contacted by us, Nathan Bitoun, midwife in Paris says that cases of paracetamol taken excessively are very rare in pregnant women. He recalls that “there is no contraindication to taking paracetamol during pregnancy, provided that the indicated daily doses are respected, that is to say no more than 4g per day, or one tablet. of 1g every six hours. “On the other hand, taking anti-inflammatory drugs is prohibited during pregnancy.
“There are two types of chronic pain that can be treated without paracetamol,” says Nathan Bitoun. Pain related to contractions is treated with Spasfon tablets while ligament pain due to enlargement of the uterus is treated with magnesium capsules ”.
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