New findings suggest no significant rise in autism among children exposed to acetaminophen during pregnancy, pushing back against warnings promoted by President Donald Trump.
Why It Matters
Trump’s statements connecting Tylenol (acetaminophen) use during pregnancy to autism have sparked intense debate among public health officials, medical professionals, and advocates.
What To Know
The study, published on Friday in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, medical journal found that available evidence does not show a clinically significant rise in autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in children when paracetamol—another name for acetaminophen used outside the U.S.—is taken as directed during pregnancy.
The analysis examined 43 studies and prioritised sibling‑comparison studies, which the authors chose because they reduce confounding from shared familial factors—such as parental genetics, socioeconomic status, and the home environment.
“When considering sibling comparison studies, paracetamol exposure during pregnancy was not associated with the risk of autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or intellectual disability,” read the study. The same conclusion held in studies judged to be at low risk of bias and in those with long‑term follow‑up, it said.
The study said its findings reinforces guidance from major medical bodies, which continue to recommend acetaminophen as the first‑line option for pain and fever during pregnancy when used as directed.
Additionally, it emphasized that avoiding acetaminophen could raise the likelihood of maternal fever or untreated pain which can both harm pregnancy outcomes.
What People Are Saying
Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier in January: “Pregnant Women, DON’T USE TYLENOL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, DON’T GIVE TYLENOL TO YOUR YOUNG CHILD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY REASON.”
Kenvue, Tylenol’s manufacturer, previously stated: “Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of the people who use our products. We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with allegations that it does and are deeply concerned about the health risks and confusion this poses for expecting mothers and parents.”
Liz Halstead, an associate professor in Psychology at University College London, told Newsweek previously: “While some studies have shown an association, when we look at larger scale studies we do not see this association consistently,” adding that “genetics may be greater risk factors.”
She emphasized that “the recommendation is still that Tylenol is safe to use in pregnancy … the science does not support these claims.”
HHS spokesperson Andrew Nixon said, as reported by NBC Philadelphia: “According to HHS, many experts have expressed concern of the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy.”
What Happens Next
In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it would implement a label change for acetaminophen “to reflect evidence suggesting that the use of acetaminophen by pregnant women may be associated with an increased risk of neurological conditions such as autism and ADHD in children.”
“Evidence in recent years has suggested a correlation between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and subsequent diagnosis of conditions like autism and ADHD. Multiple large-scale cohort studies, including the Nurses’ Health Study II and the Boston Birth Cohort, find this association,” it said in a statement at the time.
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