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First they came for your caffeine, then they came for your cheese… now pregnant women are being warned against taking painkillers including paracetamol and ibuprofen.

That’s because new research suggests that paracetamol, ibuprofen and aspirin could reduce the fertility of your unborn baby.

Experiments on rats found when a mother was given painkillers during pregnancy, her female offspring had fewer eggs, smaller ovaries and smaller litters of babies than those not exposed to the drugs.

Male offspring were also found to be affected at birth but their reproductive function recovered to normal levels by the time they reached adulthood - it’s worth noting that an earlier study in mice found taking paracetamol during pregnancy had a permanent effect on the reproductive health of sons.



The research is significant given that there are a lot of similarities between the reproductive systems in rats and humans, but the results don’t necessarily translate exactly. Human foetal development is much slower than rats’, for example.

The scientists behind the research, published in the journal Scientific Reports, recommend that pregnant women should stick with current guidelines to use painkillers at the lowest possible dose, for the shortest possible time.

Scientists tested the effects of two painkillers in pregnant rats - paracetamol and a prescription-only painkiller called indomethacin, which belongs to the same class of drugs as ibuprofen and aspirin. They were given the drugs over the course of several days and found that not only were the immediate offspring affected, subsequent generations of rats were as well.

The team found that the resulting females - the granddaughters of the mother given painkillers in pregnancy - also had reduced ovary size and altered reproductive function.

Study leader Professor Richard Sharpe, of Edinburgh University, said the results follow previous research indicating painkillers should be used with caution during pregnancy.

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He said: “We now need to understand how these drugs affect a baby’s reproductive development in the womb so we can further understand their full effect.“

Co author Prof Richard Anderson added: "These studies involved the use of painkillers over a relatively long period.

"We now need to explore whether a shorter dose would have a similar effect, and how this information can be usefully translated to human use."

NHS guidelines say paracetamol should be taken only if necessary in pregnancy and for the shortest possible time. And anyone needing long-term treatment must seek medical advice.



Will these new findings put you off taking painkillers while pregnant or are you happy to continue with small doses? Let us know at @YahooStyleUK.

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