A new review of 40 studies found no evidence connecting acetaminophen use during pregnancy with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder or ADHD in children. The research, published in the BMJ, contradicts recent concerns and claims, highlighting methodological flaws in previous studies and emphasizing the role of familial factors.
A newly published review of existing scientific studies found no link between taking acetaminophen during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children, despite recent public concerns and claims from the Trump administration.
The review, published in the BMJ by a research team from the University of Liverpool, looked at 40 studies from around the world that were conducted within the past decade. While many of those earlier reviews had reported a possible association between prenatal acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders, most also cautioned that the findings could be skewed by bias, poor study design, or failure to account for family-related factors.The researchers said confidence in those past reviews was low to critically low under AMSTAR 2 — a widely used tool for rating systematic review quality — citing weaknesses such as missing protocols, incomplete literature searches, and inadequate control of confounding variables.RELATED STORY | Tylenol maker opposes FDA petition for autism-related pregnancy warning labelsNotably, the BMJ team highlighted two high-quality studies that compared siblings where one pregnancy involved acetaminophen exposure and another did not. These 'sibling control' studies — conducted in Sweden and Norway — saw initial small increases in autism or ADHD risk vanish once genetic and shared environmental influences were factored in.Lead author Professor Shakila Thangaratinam of the University of Liverpool said the pattern suggests familial factors, rather than the medication itself, likely explain much of the apparent link seen in traditional whole-population studies.The researchers said their findings are important given the recent directives from the Trump administration that urge pregnant women to avoid Tylenol over fears it could cause autism. Medical experts and regulatory agencies in the U.S., U.K., EU, and Australia responded by reassuring expectant mothers that acetaminophen remains the safest recommended treatment for fever and pain during pregnancy.RELATED STORY | What medical experts say pregnant women need to know about Tylenol, leucovorin and autismThe researchers emphasized that withholding acetaminophen in cases of high fever could pose greater risks to both mother and baby, including poor pregnancy outcomes.The authors of the study stressed that the lack of robust, well-controlled studies reflects a broader problem in women’s health research: underinvestment in rigorous trials during pregnancy. They call for future work that carefully measures drug exposure, uses validated diagnostic tools, and employs multiple analytical methods to rule out bias.
Acetaminophen Pregnancy Autism ADHD Study
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
No Clear Link Between Tylenol Use in Pregnancy and Autism, Study FindsA new study has concluded there is no clear link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and the risk of an offspring developing autism or ADHD.
Read more »
Sperm whales use vowels like humans, new study findsLaura is a science news writer, covering a wide variety of subjects, but she is particularly fascinated by all things aquatic, paleontology, nanotechnology, and exploring how science influences daily life. Laura is a proud former resident of the New Jersey shore, a competitive swimmer, and a fierce defender of the Oxford comma.
Read more »
Brain benefits of exercise come from the bloodstream — and they may be transferrable, mouse study findsAnirban Mukhopadhyay is an independent science journalist. He holds a PhD in genetics and a master’s in computational biology and drug design. He regularly writes for The Hindu and has contributed to The Wire Science, where he conveys complex biomedical research to the public in accessible language.
Read more »
Brain aging may slow with green tea, walnuts and tiny swamp plant, study findsFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »
New review finds no clear link between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism or ADHDA newly published review of existing scientific studies found no link between taking Tylenol during pregnancy and autism or ADHD in children, despite recent claims from the Trump administration.
Read more »
Americans lost record 63 hours to traffic in 2024, study findsAmericans lost a record 63 hours to traffic in 2024 — nearly eight full workdays — according to Texas A&M’s latest Urban Mobility Report.
Read more »