A new study says that taking too much Tylenol during pregnancy could reduce testosterone levels in male babies.
The study, published in Science Translational Medicine, found that prolonged use of the drug acetaminophen by a pregnant woman reduced production of testosterone in the unborn male. The study used mice that carried grafts of human tissue and after one day of exposure there was no effect on testosterone production. However, by day seven the amount of testosterone was down by 45 per cent.
“We would advise that pregnant women should follow current guidance that the painkiller be taken at the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time,” said Dr. Rod Mitchell, Wellcome Trust Intermediate Clinical Research Fellow, University of Edinburgh.
Reduced exposure to the hormone in the womb has been linked to an increased risk of infertility, testicular cancer and undescended testicles. The team from the University’s MRC Centre for Reproductive Health says further research is required to establish the mechanism by which the drug might have this effect.
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