US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the use of Tylenol (also known as acetaminophen) during pregnancy “can be associated with a very increased risk of autism”. He also urged pregnant women to refrain from taking Tylenol.
Trump said that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would soon notify physicians to limit the recommendation of Tylenol during pregnancy unless “medically necessary,” such as for the treatment of fever, adding, if you can’t tough it out.”
While there is no one cause of autism, however, the connection between Tylenol and autism is not proven. Read on as doctors share if there’s any link between Tylenol and autism.
Link between Tylenol and autism
Dr. Soumya Renji Consultant Paediatrics at P.D Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Khar said, “Paracetamol is one of the safest medications that is used in mothers during pregnancy period and there has been just one study that suggested a link between paracetamol and neurodevelopmental disorders but robust evidence with a randomized controlled study is needed to actually see if there is any truth to these claims.”
Dr. Asmita Mahajan, Consultant Pediatrician and Neonatologist at S. L. Raheja Fortis Hospital in Mahim, Mumbai, shared that a 2024 study of nearly 2.5 million children in Sweden found no causal link between in utero exposure to acetaminophen and neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“In my opinion, policy-driven health announcements are not supposed to be done by the administrators of countries. It should be a scientifically backed, evidence-based announcement only and only made by scientists i.e. medical professionals who have extensively researched the subject,” she added.
Is Tylenol safe during pregnancy?
Dr. Ravi Malik, Director of Malik Radix Healthcare, said that there is no proven link between paracetamol and autism as of now. There needs to be more research to understand if there is any relation between the two.
“Most guidelines and most obstetric and gynecological societies like ACOG(US) and RCOG(UK), Australia, NHS, etc, all consider paracetamol as the safest painkiller for pregnant ladies,” said Dr. Mahajan
As per the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Indian Academy of Pediatrics, paracetamol is still the safest antipyretic and analgesic that is recommended for children. No known paediatric body has suggested otherwise and highlighted concerns about autism.
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