Table 1.
Characteristics of mothers at time of pregnancy and children at age 5 (n=301)
| Acetaminophen use during pregnancy |
||
|---|---|---|
| Maternal demographic data | No (n=198) |
Yes (n=103) |
| Age, mean (SD), years | 24.7 (4.8) | 25.1 (5.5) |
| Race/ethnicity | 99/198 (50) | 39/103 (38)* |
| African-American, n (%) | ||
| Dominican, n (%) | 99/198 (50) | 64/103 (62)* |
| Health | 48/198 (24) | 28/103 (27) |
| Self-reported asthma, n (%) | ||
| Reported severe headaches in pregnancy, n (%) | 39/191 (20) | 36/98 (37)* |
| Reported occasional headaches in pregnancy, n (%) | 96/195 (49) | 76/101 (75)* |
| Reported abdominal cramps in pregnancy, n (%) | 30/196 (15) | 23/101 (23) |
| Reported vaginal infection in pregnancy, n (%) | 24/191 (13) | 12/98 (12) |
| Attacks of sudden fear or panic‡, n (%) | 35/195 (18) | 29/102 (28)* |
| Socioeconomic status | 71/194 (37) | 37/102 (36) |
| No high school degree, n (%) | ||
| Receiving Medicaid, n (%) | 182/197 (92) | 90/103 (87) |
| Hardship last 6 months†, n (%) | 80/197 (41) | 48/101 (48) |
| Prenatal medication | 42/195 (22) | 23/101 (23) |
| Antibiotics, n (%) | ||
| Ibuprofen, n (%) | 5/198 (2.5) | 5/103 (4.9) |
| Aspirin, n (%) | 2/198 (1.0) | 0/103 (0) |
| Acetaminophen Trimester 1, n (%) | 0/198 (0) | 43/99 (43) |
| Trimester 2, n (%) | 0/198 (0) | 46/99 (47) |
| Trimester, n (%) | 0/198 (0) | 42/99 (42) |
| Child demographic data | ||
| Male, n (%) | 90/198 (46) | 54/103 (52) |
| Ever lived in home with smoker, n (%) | 93/198 (47) | 42/103 (41) |
| Birth order | 100/198 (51) | 48/103 (47) |
| First born, n (%) | ||
| Third or later born, n (%) | 44/198 (22) | 26/103 (25) |
| Ever lived in home with cat, n (%) | 54/198 (27) | 24/103 (23) |
| Domestic mice sightings common§, n (%) | 50/190 (26) | 29/102 (28) |
| Domestic sightings of cockroaches common§, n (%) | 80/185 (43) | 47/100 (47) |
| Drug dealers or users seen on neighbourhood streets, n (%) |
111/189 (59) | 63/102 (62) |
| Neighbourhood gang activity makes it difficult to feel safe¶, n (%) |
43/189 (23) | 30/102 (29) |
| Child ever homeless**, n (%) | 16/189 (8.5) | 14/102 (14) |
*
p<0.05 for the difference in the prevalence of demographic characteristics among children with and without prenatal acetaminophen exposure.
†
Mother reported that in the past 6 months she and her family could not afford needed food, rent, clothing or medical care or that gas/electricity was suspended because of bill non-payment.24
‡
Report of sudden attacks of fear or panic sometimes, often or very often.
§
Reported pest sightings more than never or rarely.
¶
Reported dangerous activity in the neighbourhood sometimes, often or very often.
**
Mother reported she had ever been homeless (slept outside, in a car or in a homeless shelter) since the child was born.