09/23/2025
The White House held a news conference on Monday implying that a new study shows Tylenol (acetaminophen) causes autism if a pregnant mom takes it during pregnancy.
The US government grossly misrepresented what the study is saying. The authors of the study responded to the US government’s comments, saying that the White House mischaracterized the study results and there is no causal link. More research is needed.
Tylenol (acetaminophen) is currently the only pain medication that health professionals say is safe to take during pregnancy.
The general approach of health care practitioners has always recommended that taking any medication during pregnancy should be limited, and only on the advice of your doctor. This study doesn’t change that recommendation. In some cases where harm of a high fever or distress in the mother could harm the baby, it may be okay to take Tylenol in small amounts for a short period of time.
In short, if you can avoid taking medication during pregnancy, then don’t take it. But in small doses over a short period of time, on the advice of your doctor, I’m still comfortable recommending the use of acetaminophen (Tylenol).
The study the White House referred to, pulled together data from several past studies and the findings were that, while the data is still inconclusive, there is a possibility that taking Tylenol while pregnant could be one of many factors that create the conditions for autism. More research is needed.
Scientists currently believe autism is linked to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Obviously it’s not ethical to do research on pregnant moms and babies so most research looks at data after babies are born and what factors might lead to negative health outcomes. So it’s hard to prove causation.
Other Facts
– autism rates are rising, however most scientists feel this is partly the result of better diagnosis
