No link between Tylenol use in pregnancy and autism or ADHD, major new study finds
A recent comprehensive analysis of numerous peer-reviewed medical studies has revealed no connection between the use of Tylenol during pregnancy and the development of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities in children.
The study, which was published in the prestigious medical journal The Lancet, concludes that “the most reliable human evidence does not support a causal relationship between prenatal exposure to Tylenol and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability,” according to Dr. Céline Gounder, a medical contributor for CBS News and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News.
Gounder emphasized the strength of the analysis, particularly highlighting the inclusion of sibling comparisons in multiple studies to assess potential differences in outcomes despite shared genetics and environment.
The research encompassed over 40 studies from various countries worldwide, utilizing questionnaires and medical records to compare outcomes in pregnancies with and without Tylenol use. These studies involved large, population-based cohorts from countries such as the U.S., Japan, and Australia.
The findings of this analysis support the current recommendations from medical organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists regarding the safety of using acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol) as the primary medication for alleviating pain or fever during pregnancy.
President Trump and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stirred controversy in September by suggesting a potential link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and the rising number of autism diagnoses. Kennedy, a prominent vaccine skeptic, has referred to autism as a “preventable disease.”
The assertions made by Trump and Kennedy were met with opposition from medical experts and health agencies worldwide, who emphasized that evidence supports acetaminophen (known as paracetamol in the U.K. and Europe) as the safest option for pain relief in pregnant women.
Leaving pain and high fever untreated can pose risks to both the mother and fetus, and other pain medications like aspirin and ibuprofen are known to have potential dangers during pregnancy.
Kenvue, the manufacturer of Tylenol, has stated that “independent, reputable scientific research clearly indicates that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism,” underscoring it as “the safest pain relief choice for pregnant women as necessary throughout their entire pregnancy.”
In response to the latest study, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services, Andrew Nixon, highlighted concerns raised by numerous experts regarding the use of acetaminophen during pregnancy, including Dr. Andrea Baccarelli, the Dean of the Harvard School of Public Health. Baccarelli was the senior author of a 2025 study that suggested a potential association between acetaminophen exposure in pregnancy and an increased incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism and ADHD.
While some studies have hinted at a possible link between acetaminophen use and neurodevelopmental disorders, many of these studies had limitations such as small sample sizes and failed to establish a definitive connection. One review referenced by Trump and Kennedy was criticized for its data variability and discrepancies in defining exposure and outcomes, as noted by the authors of The Lancet analysis.
Larger, more robust studies, including one in Sweden tracking 2.5 million children over 25 years, found no correlation between the medication and autism. Similarly, a Japanese study initially suggesting a slight increased risk among 217,000 children did not hold up when researchers compared siblings to account for genetic factors.
The researchers behind the recent analysis propose that previously reported associations between prenatal acetaminophen use and autism, ADHD, or intellectual disabilities may be attributed to other factors such as the mother’s underlying pain, fever, or genetic predisposition, rather than a direct impact from acetaminophen.
