The stronger the evidence, the weaker the link between prenatal acetaminophen and autism or ADHD
In September 2025, President Donald Trump advised pregnant women against taking acetaminophen, citing autism risk. A new review suggests the evidence behind that concern is weak, with apparent risks shrinking once lower-quality studies are set aside.
A recent study examining the connection between prenatal acetaminophen use and the risk of autism or ADHD in children found little evidence to support a strong link. While earlier reviews had suggested a small increase in risk based on lower-quality studies, the analysis focused on the highest-quality evidence showed only minor associations, if any.
Acetaminophen, commonly known as paracetamol and sold under brands like Tylenol, is a widely used pain reliever during pregnancy due to its safety profile compared to other medications. About half of pregnant women worldwide use this drug to manage pain and fever. Conflicting studies over the past decade have sparked debates about the safety of acetaminophen exposure during pregnancy.
A 2019 meta-analysis initially found an association between prenatal acetaminophen use and higher rates of ADHD in children, but later research questioned the validity of these findings. Studies published in 2021 and 2024 suggested that genetic and family background factors, rather than acetaminophen use, might explain the observed link to ADHD.
The debate had a political dimension in 2025 when a U.S. presidential statement and FDA updates caused confusion among expectant mothers and healthcare providers. To resolve the uncertainty, researchers conducted an umbrella review, analyzing data from seven meta-analyses involving over three million participants. Initially, small positive associations were observed, with a pooled risk ratio of 1.17 for autism and 1.29 for ADHD, indicating a 17% and 29% higher relative risk for exposed children.
However, after rating the quality of each meta-analysis, the analysis focused on low-quality reviews and primary studies with lesser risk of bias. This adjustment reduced the risk ratios to 1.05 for autism and 1.17 for ADHD, indicating that the initial associations were weaker than previously thought. The findings underscore the importance of considering study quality when evaluating potential risks associated with prenatal medication use.
Written by urgent.news from PsyPost's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
