- A new research review disputes claims made by the Trump administration that Tylenol use during pregnancy can increase the risk of autism and ADHD in children.
- The researchers claim that recent studies cited by the White House are flawed.
- Tylenol remains safe to use during pregnancy and can help relieve pain as well as reduce high fever, both of which can be harmful to an unborn child.
In a new study, researchers concluded that pregnant people can safely take acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, to treat pain and high fever.
The researchers said that previous studies suggesting a slight association between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and ADHD and autism were flawed. The findings were published on November 10 in
“Existing evidence does not clearly link maternal [Tylenol] use during pregnancy with autism or ADHD in offspring,” the researchers wrote.
Experts not involved in the study said the researchers’ conclusions are well-founded.
“The high-quality methodology used in this new umbrella review confirms what experts around the globe have been saying,” said Dimitrios Siassakos, a professor in obstetrics and gynecology at the University College London in England, in a statement posted on the Science Media Centre.
“The evidence that links [acetaminophen] use in pregnancy to autism is tenuous and those studies which do report an association are confounded by the association of autism or ADHD with factors shared by families such as genetics, lifestyle etc.”
The review comes less than two months after President Donald Trump and members of his administration made statements that linked Tylenol use during pregnancy to autism risk.
A key member of the Trump administration, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., had already softened his stance about Tylenol. Kennedy recently said there was no “sufficient” evidence that Tylenol is a definitive cause of autism, but reiterated that women should only use Tylenol during pregnancy when “absolutely necessary.”
Here’s what you need to know about Tylenol use during pregnancy, and why experts continue to assert that it’s safe.
The large review involved an umbrella analysis of nine systematic reviews that included 40 studies conducted over the past decade. Each study had investigated the potential link between acetaminophen and the risk of a child developing autism or ADHD.
The researchers reported that some of those studies concluded there was a “strong association” between maternal acetaminophen use and autism and ADHD risks.
However, the researchers said those studies were flawed and confidence in the findings was “low to critically low.” Among other issues, the researchers said those studies did not make adjustments for familial factors that could have increased the risk of autism or ADHD in some children.
“Primary studies that do not adjust for key confounders such as familial genetic and environmental factors, maternal health, indications for [acetaminophen] use, and potential unmeasured confounders cannot accurately estimate the effects of in utero exposure to [acetaminophen] on neurodevelopment in children,” the study authors wrote.
They added that none of the research they reviewed established any biological mechanism between acetaminophen and autism or ADHD.
“The results from this extensive study looking at the potential link between acetaminophen during pregnancy and the risk of autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were not surprising,” said Sherry Ross, MD, an OB-GYN and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California. Ross wasn’t involved in the study.
“This study confirmed there was no association between taking Tylenol during pregnancy increasing the risk of autism in the baby. The exaggerated hype and misrepresentation about acetaminophen increasing the risk of autism and ADHD during pregnancy has been exploited, harmful to pregnant women, and causing unnecessary confusion,” Ross told Healthline.
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“Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analyses. This suggests that associations observed in other models may have been attributable to confounding,” the study authors wrote.
Acetaminophen is the safest option for pain relief and lowering fever during pregnancy. For example, fever during pregnancy carries heightened risks of neural tube defects.
G. Thomas Ruiz, MD, an OB-GYN and the lead OB/GYN at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in California, explained that acetaminophen does not cross from the mother’s bloodstream into the placenta.
Other pain medications, such as ibuprofen, do cross that threshold and can endanger the health of a developing fetus.
“Most pain relievers are medications you shouldn’t take while pregnant,” Ruiz told Healthline.
He added that pain during pregnancy can cause stress, which can cause harm to both the unborn child and the mother. “Undue stress is not going to be good for the baby or mom,” Ruiz said.
Ross agreed. “The risks of untreated fevers, headaches, and pain during pregnancy may be dangerous for mother and baby and do outweigh the unsupported risks of using Tylenol to treat these harmful symptoms,” she said.
In late September, President Trump stated that the use of Tylenol during pregnancy was associated with a “very increased risk of autism.”
“[Federal officials] are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary,” the president said.
His remarks were followed by an
In a statement, HHS officials stated that autism cases among children in the United States have risen 400% since 2000.
They also noted that a 2021 consensus statement called for “precautionary action” and recommended that women “minimize exposure” to acetaminophen and use “the lowest dose for the shortest time possible.”
In response, the makers of Tylenol issued a statement on their website asserting that rigorous research has confirmed “there is no credible science that shows taking acetaminophen causes autism.”
In late October, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson, the manufacturers of Tylenol, accusing the pharmaceutical company of failing to warn consumers about the risk of taking Tylenol during pregnancy.
Despite HHS Health Secretary Kennedy walking back part of the White House’s stance on maternal Tylenol use and autism, he said there should be “a cautious approach to it.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
They note that autism is three times more common in boys than it is in girls.
CDC officials also
The condition is also more common in boys than in girls.
Autism is a broad term used to describe a group of neurodevelopmental conditions. People with autism commonly exhibit problems with communication and social interaction as well as restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior.
The exact cause of autism remains unknown. Suspected risk factors include:
- having an immediate family member who has autism
- having certain genetic mutations
- being born to older parents
- low birth weight
- exposure to heavy metals and other environmental toxins
A July 2025 study involving more than 1 million children determined there was no link between vaccines and the development of autism.
ADHD is a condition that can cause people to have difficulty focusing their attention on a single task or sitting still for long periods of time.
People with the condition may experience difficulty completing tasks, become easily distracted, and interrupt others while they’re talking. ADHD can have a significant impact on school, work, relationships, and lifestyle.
Like autism, the causes of ADHD aren’t entirely understood. Possible explanations include genetic factors, certain neurotoxins, and smoking and drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
Ruiz said autism is likely caused by a number of factors, not a single contributor. “We don’t really have a good handle on [the causes],” he said. “It’s likely multiple variables.”
“The exact cause(s) of autism is still to be determined,” added Ross. “Credible medical studies suggest autism is thought to be due to genetic and environmental factors. What is known about the cause of autism is it results from a combination of influences.”
