A large study from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health has found no significant link between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes, countering recent public concern about the common pain reliever’s safety.
Researchers led by senior author Rebecca Fry, PhD, the Carol Remmer Angle Distinguished Professor and chair of environmental sciences and engineering, and first author Katelyn Huff, PhD, analyzed data from more than 8,900 mother-infant pairs enrolled in the National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program.
The team found no significant association between acetaminophen use and gestational age, birth weight, or being born small for gestational age. In fact, acetaminophen use was associated with lower odds of being born large for gestational age.
Roughly 59% of mothers in the ECHO cohort reported using acetaminophen at some point during pregnancy, reflecting how common the over-the-counter medication is as one of the few pain relievers considered safe for pregnant women.
Journal: American Journal of Epidemiology
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwag110
Article Title: Prenatal over-the-counter acetaminophen use and birth outcomes in the ECHO Cohort
Publication Date: May 21, 2026
Source: EurekAlert