Painkillers in pregnancy may affect male fertility

Published on Monday 8 November 2010 16:35

THE use of painkillers such as aspirin, ibuprofen and paracetamol in pregnancy could be linked to male reproductive disorders, a study has revealed.

Women who take more than one painkiller at the same time during pregnancy, or who take the drugs during the second trimester, are more likely to give birth to baby boys with un- descended testicles.

The condition, also known as cryptorchidism, affects around one in 20 boys in the UK. More than half of pregnant women in Europe and the US report taking mild pain- killers. Undescended testicles are linked to fertility problems later in life and an increased likelihood of suffering testicular cancer.

The scientists behind the research believe painkillers may be part of the reason for the increase in male reproductive disorders in recent decades, possibly by interfering with the male hormone testosterone.

Current advice from the NHS is that women should avoid taking medicines while pregnant but that paracetamol is considered safe if used in small doses for short-term pain relief.

In the latest study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, experts from Denmark, Finland and France questioned women on their use of the drugs in pregnancy.

The results showed that women who used more than one painkiller simultaneously were seven times more likely to give birth to sons with some form of undescended testes compared with women who did not take the drugs.

Professor Richard Sharpe, of the Medical Research Council's human reproductive sciences unit at the University of Edinburgh, said: "The study shows prolonged use of common painkillers at around weeks ten-20 of pregnancy is associated with increased risk of incomplete testicular descent into the scrotum.

"The studies are top quality from groups with considerable expertise."