Review confirms acetaminophen safe in pregnancy, no autism/ADHD link. Important for reassuring Black patients on medication safety. Read more.
A major scientific review finds taking acetaminophen during pregnancy does not increase a child’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability.
Researchers reviewed 43 published studies, focusing on high-quality designs — including sibling comparisons where one pregnancy involved acetaminophen and another did not.
Across hundreds of thousands of children, they found no evidence that prenatal acetaminophen exposure harms brain development.
The lead investigator says, “The message is clear” – acetaminophen, known as paracetamol in Europe — “remains a safe option during pregnancy when taken as guided.”
She says earlier reports suggesting small risks were likely influenced by genetic predisposition or other maternal factors such as pain and fever, rather than the medication itself.
The authors say this new analysis directly challenges claims that acetaminophen during pregnancy harms children’s brain development.
Concerns intensified after President Donald Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. publicly warned pregnant women against using Tylenol — warnings rejected by major medical groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Source: The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health
Author Affiliations: City St George’s, University of London, University of Chieti, University of Ferrara, University of Liverpool, St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University of Bologna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, University of Oslo
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