Maternal acetaminophen use in pregnancy and ADHD risk in children
Official title: Maternal Use of Acetaminophen During Pregnancy and the Risk of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Offspring: Developmental Origin of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Funded at Kaiser Foundation Research Institute · NIH-11434804 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large study will follow thousands of mother-child pairs to see if taking acetaminophen during pregnancy relates to ADHD in kids.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $706,235 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD122839-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11434804 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals who used acetaminophen during pregnancy and their offspring, followed through early childhood.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant individuals with no exposure to acetaminophen or their children without ADHD risk may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses a long-standing birth cohort of 9,500 mother-child pairs to examine prenatal exposure to acetaminophen and later ADHD outcomes in children. Researchers will collect data from interviews during pregnancy and track ADHD diagnoses over time, using robust methods to control for confounding factors. The goal is to understand whether in-utero acetaminophen exposure is linked to ADHD risk and what factors might influence this relationship. The team will leverage existing data and follow the children through multiple developmental stages to obtain clearer insights.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If associations are clarified, clinicians and parents could make better-informed choices about acetaminophen use during pregnancy.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show inconsistent results; this large, well-characterized cohort aims to provide clearer evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
Oakland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Li, de-Kun — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Li, de-Kun
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How air pollution during pregnancy affects fetal growth over time
This study looks at how air pollution affects the growth of babies in the womb during pregnancy, using ultrasound images to track changes over time, and it aims to help expectant parents understand when their babies might be most at risk from pollution.
-
Postoperative Pain Guidelines for Pregnancy: Safer, Patient-Centered Opioid Use
We’re creating patient-friendly guidelines to help doctors manage pain after delivery and surgery in pregnant people, aiming to reduce opioid overuse and improve safety.
-
HPV and pregnancy risk: a big study following 1,280 pregnancies
A large pregnancy study at UTMB looks at whether human papillomavirus (HPV) during pregnancy is linked to problems like preterm birth.
-
Understanding how where you live and personal factors during pregnancy affect a child’s risk for obesity and metabolic problems
This project looks at how neighborhood conditions and individual factors during pregnancy may influence a child’s risk of obesity and metabolic health as they grow.
-
Blocking cancer-causing cMYC tricks after pregnancy changes in the breast
Researchers are testing how pregnancy and aging reshape the breast before cancer risk, using patient-reinformed models to see if it changes how dangerous cMYC signals behave.
-
SSRI use during pregnancy: effects on placental blood flow and inflammation
This grant studies how antidepressants (SSRIs) used during pregnancy might affect the placenta and inflammation, and whether a 5-HT2 receptor blocker could mitigate any negative effects.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.