(CNN)- Long-term use of acetaminophen during pregnancy was associated with twice the risk of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. However, two experts believe that the data do not support these findings.
Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, is the active ingredient in Tylenol and hundreds of over-the-counter and prescription medicines, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. It is commonly prescribed during pregnancy to relieve pain and fever, with an estimated 65% of pregnant women in America using the drug, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The lead author of the new study, Eivind Ystrøm, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, said pregnant women who need medicine for fever or pain relief "should not refrain from short-term acetaminophen use."
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