Increased rates of NICU admission, preterm birth, eclampsia and additional adverse outcomes were shown for mothers with this allergy label and their infants
MILWAUKEE, Feb. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — A non-narcotic analgesics allergy label (NNAAL) is associated with several adverse perinatal outcomes, indicating a need for additional maternal evaluation, according to new research being presented at the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting.
“There is a paucity of information regarding the effect of a non-narcotic analgesics allergy label on maternal and fetal outcomes,” said lead author Chang Su, MD. “Our study showed that having such a label can be associated with various adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. These findings are potentially practice-expanding because evaluating women of childbearing age who have a history of non-narcotics analgesics allergy could lead to delabeling for approximately 80% of patients and potentially improved perinatal outcomes.”
In this study, researchers conducted a retrospective analysis using the Study of Outcomes in Mothers and Infants, a population-based cohort of all births in California between 2016 and 2021. Both maternal and fetal outcomes were examined by NNAAL status using logistic regression to calculate relative risks (aRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for maternal characteristics.
Of the 2,244,210 singleton livebirths included in the study, 10,460 were born to mothers with NNAALs with a significantly higher proportion of mothers with NNAALs being more than 34 years old. Maternal NNAALs were significantly associated with increased rates of eclampsia (aRR 1.5, 95% CI [1.06, 2.12]), preterm birth (aRR 1.21, 95% CI [1.14, 1.28]), NICU admission (aRR 1.17, 95% CI [1.10, 1.25]), infants with neonatal withdrawal syndrome (aRR 1.51, 95% CI [1.24, 1.84]), longer infant hospital stay times (p < 0.0001) and a decreased rate of infants who were large for their gestational age (aRR 0.92, 95% CI [0.87, 0.98]). However, NNAALs were not associated with maternal preeclampsia, infants who were small for their gestational age, major structural birth defects or an APGAR score of less than seven.
By exploring the relationship between maternal NNAALs and maternal and fetal outcomes, this study highlights an important need for proactive allergy evaluations of patients with NNAALs and delabeling efforts that may improve perinatal outcomes.
Visit aaaai.org to learn more about asthma, allergies and pregnancy. Research presented at the 2026 AAAAI Annual Meeting, February 27 – March 2 in Philadelphia, PA, is published in an online supplement to The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI).
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is the leading membership organization of more than 7,100 allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists and other professionals with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI is the go-to resource for patients living with allergies, asthma and immune deficiency disorders.
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SOURCE American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
